Alcohol-detection tags piloted in Northamptonshire

A new voluntary approach to reducing binge drinking is being piloted in Northamptonshire; as an alternative to sending binge drinkers who commit crimes to prison, the police will give them the option to wear an alcohol-detection tag.

The tag, which is also known as a sobriety bracelet, is worn around the ankle and automatically tests the individual’s sweat for the presence of alcohol. Tests are taken every 30 minutes, making it impossible for a person to drink alcohol without it being registered by the bracelet.

If the bracelet test gives a positive result, the information is transmitted wirelessly to a base station where it can be downloaded and analysed by the police. The idea is that it should act as a deterrent against drinking heavily.

The Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Adam Simmonds, explained: “The tags mean that we can monitor alcohol consumption 24/7 and then hold people to account for drinking when they shouldn’t. In the USA they have been used extensively with drink-drivers with high levels of success and they have also been used effectively in Glasgow with violent offenders. The tags will be voluntary, and if an offender is offered one but refuses it, he or she will then face other sanction within the current criminal justice process.”

Mr Simmonds added that the tags are chiefly aimed at binge drinkers, with events such as Dry January indicating that there can be a change in behaviour after an abstinence of just one month. The tags represent a pioneering approach to the problem of alcohol-related violence and balance the requirement for public safety with the provision of accountability and alternatives to jail for those who create problems as a result of alcohol misuse.

Drinking alcohol is not a criminal offence, of course, but often people who commit crimes are under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol results in a reduction of inhibitions and this can lead to some people making bad calls of judgement and others becoming violent. It is hoped that the bracelets will remind and encourage people to avoid alcohol completely. They will have to be worn for a set period ‒ possibly as long as 120 days/four months. If the bracelet registers alcohol, the police will then be able to investigate and possibly intervene before the individual does something they may later regret.