London, Nov. 16 (ANI): More and more prisoners are allowed out of prison overnight due to overcrowding of British jails, it has emerged.

The total number of prisoners who are allowed out of prison overnight has trebled this year, the Conservatives say.

According to government figures, the number of people granted a Resettlement Overnight Release (ROR) licence has gone from 3,813 in 2006 to 11,559 in 2008, the Independent reports.

Prisoners nearing the end of their sentence can apply for a number of ROR licences, which allow them to spend up to four nights away from their cells before release.

Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said: “While there is a case for allowing some prisoners to stay home overnight as they approach release, overnight release should never be used simply because of a lack of prison cells.”

However, a Prison Service spokesman said: “ROR exists to rehabilitate offenders and make communities safer, not to relieve population pressures. We are dealing with those pressures by putting in more prison places, with nearly 25,000 created since 1997.” (ANI)