Prison governors told to tag and release inmates early
British Prison governors have been told to electronically tag and release prisoners on short sentences rather than let them serve out their time inside.
The British Home Office says prisoners serving three to 12 months should always be considered for the 'home detention curfew' scheme.
The move could lead to hundreds of offenders, including people convicted of burglary and drug offences, leaving jail up to two months earlier than expected.
The Tory party has condemned the move as political interference in judges' power to set sentences.
Britain's home Secretary David Blunkett is expected to tell governors that they will retain their discretion on releasing individual inmates early with tags, but should see home detention curfew as the preferred route to take.
Those with a history of sexual and violent crime will continue to be excluded from the scheme.
A British Home Office spokesman said: "Mr Blunkett will announce the use of the tagging scheme as the first resort in breaking the cycle of crime."
He was unable to forecast how many offenders would be affected by the change. The scheme is currently available to all prisoners serving between three months and four years, except those convicted of violent or sexual crimes.
Norman Brennan, of the British Victims of Crime Trust, told The Times:
"It is time this Government stopped looking at reasons not to send people to prison. The people who will be released are the very people from whom society needs to be protected."
Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin said:
"This undermines the fundamental principles of criminal justice. When a judge sentences a criminal, it is the responsibility of the Home Secretary to ensure that the criminal in question can serve the sentence in question."
