Offenders to be banned from drinking in UK to cut alcohol-fuelled crime

London, UK | Xinhua | Serious and prolific offenders in Britain will be tagged with devices which monitor alcohol levels in sweat if their probation officer thinks they will be more likely to reoffend when drinking, the British Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said on Wednesday.

The tag will help probation officers keep a closer eye on offenders’ behaviour and support them to turn their backs on crime. It will also provide offenders with the incentive to break bad habits as breaching the ban could see them back in prison, said the MoJ.

Alcohol plays a part in 39 percent of all violent crime in Britain and roughly 20 percent of offenders supervised by the Probation Service are classed as having an alcohol problem. Around 12,000 offenders will wear such a tag over the next three years, according to the ministry.

Earlier this year, the British government launched another scheme using GPS tags to track prolific robbers, thieves and burglars. Around 10,000 offenders are expected to be tagged over the next three years to help police catch them if they reoffend.

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Xinhua