Holloway Prison for women has seen its average population increase by a fifth in 2011/12, while the total amount of prison service money spent on the facility has shrunk by three per cent.
The mean number of prisoners in Holloway for the last financial year was 545, which exceeded the recommended capacity of 540, according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice.
However, in 2011/12 the National Offender Management Service spent £24.8m on the Islington prison, down from £25.7m the previous year.
Ex-Holloway prisoner Lindsey Dewane called for fewer, but longer custodial sentences.
“I think we give too many unrealistic short sentences. If you’re going to send somebody to prison then send them to prison, make them really feel and learn from their mistakes,” said Ms. Dewane, who is now an interior designer.
“There are so many repeat offenders out there. The maximum they’ve done is six months. You don’t even do six months. You do three and then you come out and that’s nothing,” she said.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said that the riots which swept through London last summer contributed to the spike in prisoner numbers.
The Ministry of Justice also said operational capacity, which is different from the recommended capacity, increased to 591 in January 2011.
Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The government is committed to trying to reduce the number of women in prison so it is disappointing to see this increase in average numbers at Holloway.
“Across the prison system budgets are shrinking and if ministers do not find a way of reducing the prison population then its dream of a rehabilitation revolution will be dashed.”
