Understanding the New Home Detention Curfew (HDC) Rules

The Home Detention Curfew (HDC) is a system that was introduced in the UK to permit prisoners to be released early from custody under stringent conditions, including a tagged curfew. Revisit the rules and acquire an understanding of the changes that have been implemented, in order to stay informed.

First and foremost, we need to discuss: Who is eligible for HDC?

• Inmates serving sentences between 12 weeks and 4 years.
• Prisoners who have served or are likely to serve at least a quarter of their custodial term.
• Prisoners who have a suitable release address.
• And those who pose a low risk to the public.

The next question you might have is on the duration of HDC. Here are the specifics:

1. Prisoners may be released on HDC up to 135 days (for those serving determinate sentences of at least 12months) before their AutomaticRelease Date (ARD). For those serving shorter terms, this period is less.
2. However, everyone on HDC will serve at least a quarter of their sentence in prison and has to spend a minimum of 7 days on HDC.

The new rules that came into operation in 2019, made notable changes to the prior system:

• Prisoners no longer have to pass a risk assessment before they can be released on HDC.
• Another modification allows selected offenders serving extended determinate sentences to be eligible.

It’s important to understand the conditions for prisoners on HDC:

1. They must remain at one registered address during curfew hours, typically between 7 pm and 7 am.
2. They must allow access to that address to monitoring officers.
3. They must not tamper with or damage the electronic monitoring equipment.
4. They may have additional conditions imposed on their license. Breach of any conditions may result in recalls to prison.

Lastly, for HDC’s effectiveness, it is reviewed in a 3-tier process:

1. Basic eligibility check
2. Home circumstances and proposed release address checks
3. Risk assessment of releasing the prisoner

Guided by changes in legislation, HDC aims to encourage responsibility and progression towards a law-abiding life upon release. It is backed by research evidence that indicates it reduces the risk of reoffending.

This simplified guide helps you understand HDC within the UK prison system. The motive is to make the transition smoother for the concerned prisoners, and reduce the burden on the prison system.