Record number of women jailed — but 40% out early

Record numbers of women are being jailed, but almost four in 10 are released early due to chronic overcrowding.

Official figures show the number of female prisoners has doubled in the past six years.

The 2011 Prison Service annual report also showed that while the number of men being committed to prisons stabilised last year, the number of women imprisoned jumped by 12% to 1,902 — 200 more than 2010.