§ Lord Randall of St. Budeauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which prisoners will be released on Home Detention Curfew. [HL1319]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn)Most prisoners serving sentences of between three months and four years will be eligible for consideration for release on home detention curfew. To be released, they must first pass a risk assessment and have a suitable release address.
The detail of the risk assessment is still being worked out and will need to balance properly any potential risk posed by the prisoner's release on home detention curfew against the risks involved in retaining prisoners in custody until their automatic release date, when the curfew is not available.
Prisoners will he assessed on the basis of their potential threat to the public and the probability of their reoffending or failing to comply with their conditions of curfew. Prisoners who have 19WA demonstrated a successful record of temporary release would normally be expected to be suitable for release on home detention curfew. The risk assessment will also make clear, however, that prisoners convicted of offences to which Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 applies will not be released upon home detention curfew, save where there are exceptional circumstances, as this group of prisoners present a particular type of risk. We will, of course, keep this policy under review.