A new government report has found that GPS tags have cut reoffending by 20% for burglars, robbers, and thieves in the UK.

The study shows that those forced to wear a GPS tag on release from prison were significantly more likely to not reoffend their non-violent crimes.

In the scheme, these offenders have their movements monitored and mapped against the locations of recent unsolved burglaries, robberies, or thefts.

Matches are shared with the police to help them investigate the crime and potential suspects.

The government says that the scheme has saved police time by eliminating suspects early on in investigations through the GPS tagging, with evidence suggesting that the pilot helped police avoid carrying out roughly 16,000 unnecessary arrests over three years

The findings come as the latest figures showed that almost 20,000 offenders and defendants were wearing an electronic tag as of June 2025, a record high.

Tagging will be ramped up even further as part of the Government’s sentencing reforms with the annual probation budget increased by up to £700 million by 2028, to tag thousands more offenders.

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“The second that tag went on my ankle I had that feeling that someone was watching me every second of the day,” Alan, an offender currently on a GPS tag said.

Evidence suggests the pilot acted as an effective deterrent, with just 160 out of 3,360 offenders convicted due to their movements being mapped to unsolved crimes.

Under the Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan, AI will be used to assess offender risk and place offenders under tighter supervision.

“The evidence is clear that tagging works, acting as a constant reminder to thieves and burglars that we are watching their every move and will know if they reoffend,” minister of state for prisons, probation and reducing reoffending, Lord Timpson, said.