Three separate systems allow prisoners in England and Wales to leave custody, or serve part of a sentence in the community, before it’s fully served: Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL), a short, revocable release used mainly to prepare for resettlement; electronic monitoring – tagging – used both for Home Detention Curfew and as a licence condition after release; and a set of automatic early release schemes that bring forward a prisoner’s actual release date. All three have seen significant change, and a good deal of political and media attention, over the last two to three years.
The information on this page is based on the law in England & Wales. If you’re in Scotland, click here for the guide for your jurisdiction. If you’re in Northern Ireland, click here for that guide.
Follow the links below to find out more:
| ROTL, Release on Temporary Licence – what ROTL is, who qualifies, and how it works. | Tagging (Electronic Monitoring) – Home Detention Curfew, GPS and alcohol tags, and how breaches are handled. |
| Early Release Schemes – SDS40, the Sentencing Act 2026 and the “earned progression” model. | ROTL & Early Release Policy Changes – what’s changed, and what’s only been promised or threatened. |
| Press Coverage – how the row has played out in the media, and the latest news. | |