The 'Buddi Tag' Evaluation
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Here you can read a bit more about the study and the theory behind our work
The ‘Buddi Tag’ is a voluntary GPS tag enabling the wearer’s movements to be electronically monitored over a period of approximately six weeks.
The Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit (KMVRU) Buddi Tag trained practitioners examine the data for the previous days to ensure the tag has been charged and examine the young person’s movements, taking action if relevant to protect the young person.
This may involve working with other statutory services, for example, local authority Youth Offending Teams, Social Care teams or Early Help teams.
The practitioners maintain regular telephone contact with the young person to provide support, the frequency depending on the level of risk. The Buddi Tag is not a system for immediate risk identification or a panic alarm.
Click here to read more about the KMVRU
The theory behind the programme is that a Buddi Tag, while it is worn:
- makes the wearer unattractive to potential exploiters (potential exploiters may not see the tag, but may be deterred if it is pointed out by the young person)
- makes the wearer more confident to rebuff approaches from people engaged in criminal activity,
- acts as a reminder to the wearer to avoid criminal activity.
Meanwhile, engagement with the KMVRU Buddi Tag Programme team should reinforce intentions to engage with other services and avoid criminal activity, which in turn may lead to:
- increased engagement with other statutory services,
- more contact with those not involved in criminal activity,
- less contact with those involved in criminal activity,
This changed pattern of engagement should lead to:
- changed intentions for the future,
- development of skills to manage relationships and seek help,
- better mental health
- greater wellbeing, self-efficacy, resilience
Ultimately, the aim is that young people will then engage more effectively with education, training and employment opportunities, experience a more stable home environment and higher levels of social wellbeing and avoid criminal activity.
The study is an uncontrolled evaluation of the impact of the KMVRU Buddi Tag programme on individual young people, measuring change over a period of tag-wearing and for up to 12 months afterwards. The resources available were insufficient to carry out a controlled investigation i.e., to discover the added value of the KMVRU Buddi Tag programme compared with usual management.
In any case, how we might measure ‘added value’ is currently not known. The study will help us understand the outcomes of the Buddi Tag programme, the factors that contribute to its success, and its costs, and inform the development of a controlled evaluation, when there is sufficient national implementation to allow this.
The questions asked by the evaluation are:
- Does wearing a Buddi Tag change a young person’s behaviour and make them feel safer?
- What aspects of the programme influence change in outcome measures – what appears to make it more effective?
- What are the costs of the KMVRU Buddi Tag programme?
- Does engagement with the KMVRU Buddi Tag programme lead to:
o Greater self-efficacy/resilience/reorientated locus of control?
o More help-seeking?
o Better well-being?
o Greater engagement with other services?
o Reduced contacts with the criminal justice system?
o Greater engagement with education, training, or employment?
o More stable home environment?
The evaluation of the Buddi Tag programme, conducted between March 2023 and March 2025, has now been completed. Recruitment was highly successful, with more young people participating than originally anticipated.
The University and VRU teams worked closely throughout the study to collect high-quality data, achieving strong engagement from participants. Many young people completed questionnaires at the time of Buddi Tag fitting, which provided rich insights into their experiences.
This evaluation has generated valuable evidence on the programme’s impact on the safety, well-being, and social trajectories of young people. The findings are now published on the College of Policing website, providing insights to inform practice and policy around safeguarding, behaviour support, and risk reduction.