Release
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What you will find on this page
Home Detention Curfew (HDC / Tag)
What to expect on release day
License conditions
Approved premises
What happens when my partner is on probation?
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
Home Detention Curfew (HDC / Tag)
Depending on your loved ones conviction and sentence, they may be eligible to HDC, or ‘tag’ as it is most commonly known. A HDC allows your loved one to be released early from custody if they have a suitable and approved address to go to (and the home owner agrees that you can stay).
The prison works out an eligibility date and they should get it in writing; if they are eligible they should be considered automatically and shouldn’t need to apply. Ten weeks before their date they should get a proposed address form, this is where they will be tagged to and where their curfew is set to. Click here for eligibility criteria and exclusions
For Prisoners & Families > Prisoner Information Pages > Home Detention Curfew (HDC)
Key things to keep in mind:
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your loved one will have to wait for approval for an address, and sometimes the address that they choose can be declined
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tag is not guaranteed - they have to undergo a risk assessment and an interview that includes the prison, probation and the police. It can also include doctors, social services and the victim/s. They will consider their prison record, their previous convictions and if the home address is suitable
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you have to wait for a decision, and the whole process can take weeks; this can be stressful for both your loved and for you
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if the decision is ‘no’ then the reasons for this will be given
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tag decisions can’t be appealed but you can complain through the prison if you think it is unfair.
What to expect on release day
This day will be full of emotions. Everything has built up to this day and it is normal to show a bit of your own release! If you are waiting for someone at the gates (where they come out from) you won’t get a set time and you can be in for a wait which drags (if you are waiting at home the same applies).
Release can be overwhelming for everyone, and you might have a vision for the day that the subsequent reality does not quite match up to. Having said that, it is usually a great day and one of relief. Enjoy it. Don’t expect a big fairy tale picture book scene, just be grateful that you’ve got there and enjoy the moment.
Your loved one will have to adjust to being out of prison but so will you. Don’t expect miracles of either of you, take your time and give yourself time; look after yourself and keep the lines of communication between others open - one of the easiest traps to fall into is excluding everyone else because you just want to catch up on all that lost time.
Whilst your spending time seeing others might be great for some partners, for others it can be really challenging. Try to remember that you have spent nearly every week spending only an hour or two at best together and having really limited phone contact, therefore easing back into your new circumstances can take time, and the time you do have together is still far more than you have had for some time.
It’s ok for you to still see friends and family and carry on doing the things you were doing when they were in custody.
Here are a few tips:
Tip 1 - don’t try and crush everything into day one, you have a lot of time to achieve the things that you have thought about.
Tip 2 - if you have kids think about how and when they are going to see them. It can be extremely emotional for everyone - especially if they haven’t seen each other for a while – and that ‘running into their open arms’ picture doesn’t always come about; it is just as likely that kids can freeze or go very quiet as it is for them to scream and shout with excitement.
Tip 3 - lots of people might want to see your loved one, but before throwing a big surprise party think about whether that’s something that they will be up for - they might just want to see people in their own time.
What do I need to do to prepare for my loved one release from prison?
Release is the day you work towards from the day they leave you. However, it is normal to feel anxious about this, after all, you have been separated for a period of time and it’s quite possible that you have a different outlook on life since they left; you may have different responsibilities and have adapted to the life you have been living.
You may also be worried about the impact the sentence has had on them; are they going to ‘change’ and how are license conditions (if they have them) going to work?
Key things to keep in mind:
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Plan the release day - how are they getting from the prison to their next destination, are you able to collect them?
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If they have to go to an AP (approved premises or hostel) - check the distances and the time it will take to get there
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Probation – they will usually have to see probation once they have been released, include this in your plans for the day
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Get practical things they may need - double check what they need but toiletries are usually top of the list.
License conditions
If your loved one is released on license (comes out before the end of their sentence) then they will have license conditions attached to them. The license is basically a set of conditions they must stick to if they want to serve the remainder of their sentence in the community.
The license will be signed before they are released and it is managed by their probation officer, who will also deal with any breaches should the need arise. Some of the conditions of the license are standard and fixed, like be of good behaviour, while others will be specific to your person. As the license progresses they can apply to have certain conditions adjusted or removed. Your person must speak to their probation officer about this.
If they violate their conditions they will be open to being sanctioned. This can, in certain circumstances, lead to a recall back to custody.
Approved premises
Upon release, some people are required to go to an AP (approved premises, or hostel as it is also called). This is a probation approved address that they will stay at. It is fully staffed and has curfew times. The space is shared with other people who have also been directed to stay at an approved premises.
They will generally be there for a specified period of time and could be asked to complete some work with staff while there. They will also usually have to contribute financially towards the cost of your room.
Key things to keep in mind:
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you cannot stay there with them
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children are not allowed to visit
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they can build up to spending nights away from there
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they are on curfew, meaning they have to be there at certain times - if they don’t comply they can get into serious trouble and be recalled back to custody
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If you don’t live close by and have to travel to get them back, remember to leave in plenty of time; if there is ever a reason you are going to be late then call the premises - we strongly recommend that you store the number of the AP in your phone!
What happens when my partner is on probation?
Probation is the service that manages and supports your loved ones if they are released on licence.
The most usual way they do this is by meeting with them on a regular basis, and this is decided by their probation officer.
There are lots of things that probation do (click here for further information about Probation however this section focuses on how you can make your interaction with them as positive and supportive as possible.
The probation service has the authority to recall somebody to custody if they are in breach of their licence and due to this the relationship can sometimes be difficult; probation may be seen as the enemy.
Ultimately the PO (probation officer) wants your loved one to succeed and they are there to support them in that and to manage any issues. Recall should be the last resort, however not everyone agrees that this is the case, and there is a view that in certain circumstances the service can be quick to react and recall.
Living with this can, for some people, create additional anxiety and fear. This can apply to you as well as your person, and length of the licence period may actually be longer than the time spent in custody.
The PO should ideally stay the same throughout the licence, however that is not always the case and building a relationship with a new PO can also create anxiety.
It is helpful to have a positive relationship with the PO, and it may be good to attend appointments occasionally. He or she may telephone you if they think they need to – whether things are going great or not so great, it can add to the support.
If you have concerns talk to them. If things are going well, talk to them. Don’t make an enemy of them. You may be surprised how often your name appears in reports compiled by them that are submitted further down the line.
Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
MAPPA is for people with violent and sexual offences and involves how they are assessed and managed for risk when they are released. As the name suggests, it brings together different agencies who share information and intelligence gathered about the person in the community. If your person is subject to a MAPPA they will be told and will be informed whether they are category 1, 2 or 3.
MAPPA Understanding the law and what it means for you …
Social service referrals
Having a social services referral can be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences you face. You may already have been involved with social services before and therefore know the system, or it may all be new to you. A referral can be made by various people and agencies and the process, once started, is classed as an assessment.
Our best advice is to cooperate fully with any assessment. Social services are there to assess the risk (physical, emotional and psychological) to any young person in your care that may come into contact with your loved one. They also assess what protection you offer them, whether you are aware of the risks, and what you would do / how you would respond in any potentially high-risk situations. Truth and transparency are vital.
Once the assessment is completed they will inform you in writing, with a copy of the assessment’s outcome. It is important to note that whilst the assessment is taking place they may ask your loved one to adhere to certain restrictions regarding contact. We cannot stress enough that you should stick to these restrictions for the period in question - any breach could have serious repercussions.
Click here for more information on social services referrals. Social services and your family
Remember we are always here to help, do contact us if you have any queries or need support
