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I Went Undercover In Britain's Criminal Tagging Company | Dispatches | Channel 4 Documentaries

Channel 4 Documentaries

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Contains strong language.

As the government release thousands to ease prison numbers, Dispatches is undercover inside the company paid millions to monitor offenders and keep us all safe.

First shown: 14 April 2025

00:00 Intro
02:15 Going undercover in Serco
14:26 Early release scheme in prisons backlog
22:50 Young woman tampering with tag
27:50 Bristol case
32:14 Alcohol tags
40:14 Computer system issues exposed
50:13 Investigation into tagging continues

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20 Comments

@tinderbox-withtinda3504 1 year ago

The incompetence here is unbelievable!
The tagging should be done IN PRISON before they f*cking leave! How you can let these people loose and trust they will volunteer to get tagged is beyond me. The only other choice should be staying behind bars.

@alisterruddick9645 1 year ago

I worked one shift with this undercover reporter. I could tell she was a journalist and wanted her to know as much as possible about the sham outfit we were working for.
Very pleased you got this out there

@RiaDavies 1 year ago

In 2022 I went through a crown court trial. It took 2 years to get there. The man who committed the crimes against me was found guilty on all charges. He was sentenced and only spent 1/3 of it in prison. I applied for clares law before my trial and found out I was his 7th victim. He nearly killed me and now I hardly leave the house. I was a world traveller working in the cruise ship industry for 20 years before this happened to me. Currently he is serving the rest of his sentence in the community. Not even tagged. Before this I never even spoken to a police man. I have no confidence at all in our prison system or our laws. My experience is the perpetrators have more support. Well done channel 4 for exposing sadly what I already knew.

@jeangenie68 1 year ago

The irony that it is only the 'law abiding' criminals who play ball, is not lost on me.

@grbbbc 1 year ago

I worked for the Ministry of Justice as a Community Payback Supervisor, everyday I was put out with up to 20 offenders many who were guilty or knife crimes and should have been in custody, I left I felt far from safe. Bravo to Channel 4 for highlighting this.

@jennam8401 1 year ago

Considering how difficult getting criminal convictions are, it is deeply distressing to know that those that ARE convicted just get let out anyway - something needs to change immediately

@RichardPonsford-kv2uy 1 year ago

This company couldn’t run a lemonade stand.

@Nafe- 1 year ago

Just like everything else in this country, outsourced to private companies that just pocket the cash, and it'll only get worse with the Special Economic Zones. Fkn infuriating 😤

@TheAnonyy 1 year ago

There was a documentary about 10 years ago about tag failures probably by Channel 4; I remember offenders just cutting them off and going awol, it shows nothing has changed.

@MKOFT3N 1 year ago

When is Britain going to stop using private companies for vital services? It doesn't work.

@UNORTHODOXONETOO 1 year ago

I love c4 documentaries...

!!! Keep them coming !!!!

Im absolutely shocked that our government are clearly using these as a cheaper alternative than fixing the problem directly.

Public safety is the priority here, not saving a few quid to out bud your competitors.

Serco should be stripped of all contracts effective immediately. For the sole reason of public safety failures.

If the government continue to use serco after this video goes viral then it shows they are complicit in covering up serious failures.

This is honestly shocking to watch. To know that there is scary people wandering around not even on a tag is horrendous.

Shouldn't be allowed to leave prison until it's fitted on you !

Then the tax payer is funding random trips to repeated no shows.

The public are the ones at risk because they haven't had one on for over a month after leaving prison.

@djmattblack 1 year ago

My cousin works in this industry and he says that most of this is true, lack of equipment seems to be the most common problem

@Malistani0 1 year ago

This is what happens when government gives billions of pounds worth contracts to their billionaires friends.

@attic2476 1 year ago

This government has never taken responsibility for any decision made and is deteriorating with no end in sight.

@phillipaevans4874 1 year ago

How ironic, Serco admit fraudulent behaviour but get a tap on the wrist all whilst tagging and monitoring other criminals that have also stolen for financial gain!!
The incompetence doesn't shock me at all, I have worked with prolific offenders in temp accomodation that were supposed to be monitored by police. As staff we would report broken curfews, report to the police, write a report but saw no follow up.

@LucyAliceMoss 1 year ago

Pay minimum wage, get minimum effort. What did they expect?

@Evie3331 1 year ago

Not a single word from serco or the government about the risk issues involved in sending single crew to dangerous offenders homes. Not surprised at all 😡😡😡