POLICE have hailed a voluntary tagging scheme for offenders a huge success after just seven out of 60 people reoffended while wearing them.

The voluntary offender tagging scheme provides offenders with the opportunity to be fitted with a GPS tag for an agreed period while they are on probation or following their release from prison.

It was launched as a trial in Dorset three years ago and is now regularly used as one of several offender management tools where co-operating offenders are fitted with the tag to discourage them from re-offending.

Tags are fixed to the offender’s ankle and record the wearer’s position 24 hours a day. They can be used to enforce exclusion zones such as a particular address or a number of locations such as town centres.

If the user enters a prohibited zone, Dorset Police’s Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Unit is notified so that officers can take appropriate action. Curfews can also be monitored in a similar way, alleviating the need for physical checks to be conducted.

One of the tags is currently being used by a burglar who has been convicted of more than 80 offences. He has been wearing the tag for nine months and in this time has kept away from crime.