UK Survivors Fault October Offender Zones Plan Over Missing Details

1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 24

October’s planned rollout of restriction zones in England and Wales has drawn criticism from survivors and victims’ families, who say the government announced the scheme before explaining how it will actually protect them.
The Ministry of Justice said tagged serious sexual and violent offenders could be confined to areas of a few miles, with victims helping set boundaries, but campaigners say key questions on eligibility, enforcement and breach penalties remain unanswered.
Rhianon Bragg and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton said they have sought a meeting for 2 months without success and warned the lack of clarity is heightening anxiety for thousands of victims whose offenders may soon be released.
Campaigners backing the idea still say its value depends less on whether zones are 2, 5 or 10 miles wide than on keeping offenders far from victims and ensuring probation and police can monitor breaches quickly.
The MoJ called the policy a world first and said further details will come in due course as it works with victims’ groups, but advocates warned many dangerous domestic abusers may still fall outside the scheme.