New restrictions on offenders leaving prison have come into force across England and Wales, introducing tighter controls on movement, electronic monitoring and access to certain public places.

Under the new measures, probation services can impose restriction zones on some high-risk sexual and violent offenders after their release. These zones can limit an offender's movements to an area only a few miles wide.

The Ministry of Justice says the measures are designed to strengthen supervision in the community. Electronic tagging is being expanded, with new technology intended to give probation teams near-live access to monitoring information and help identify potential breaches.

Released offenders can also face bans from pubs, clubs, football matches and other public events where restrictions are considered necessary. Random drug testing for thousands of offenders is planned from next year.

The government says the changes form part of a wider programme to strengthen victim support and reduce pressure on the prison system. It is also investing £700 million in probation and community services, including funding for electronic monitoring and additional probation staff.

The measures came into force on 1 October 2026. Individual restrictions will depend on an offender's licence conditions and risk assessment, with restriction zones subject to regular reviews.