MORE than one-third of criminals have breached their tagging orders, according to figures released by the Scottish Government.

Of 1569 people who were subject to electronic monitoring between April and June 2007, only 1039 adhered to the terms of their electronic monitoring conditions.

Breaches included tampering with the electronic device, failing to return home in time and reoffending. In some cases officials said such breaches were minor.

In addition, one-fifth of those offenders released from prison early to serve the remainder of their sentence at home under the Home Detention Curfew scheme breached their tagging orders.

The figures revealed that, of 796 inmates on HDC, 175 breached their orders and some were recalled to prison. Only a very small number were recalled on offending grounds.

The HDC scheme, which began in July 2006, allows prison governors to release prisoners early on the condition they are tagged and subject to restrictions. Many of those sent back to jail had been tampering with their tags.

The scheme is intended to reduce Scotland's growing prison population and cut rates of reoffending.

Those on the sex offenders' register, inmates awaiting deportation and those already recalled under licence are excluded from the scheme.

Officials said last night the level of breaches does not mean the orders are a failure but demonstrates the enforcement regime is very strict.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: "The level of failures to comply does not suggest electronic monitoring does not work. Rather, it demonstrates that all failures to comply with the order are reported to the relevant authority to allow it to take appropriate action.

"The Justice Secretary has repeatedly said we will detain the dangerous but treat the troubled. We will come down hard on serious and dangerous offenders but we will not clutter our already over-crowded prisons with people who could be more appropriately dealt with in the community."

Bill Aitken MSP, the Tory justice spokesman, said: "It is quite apparent that many of those tagged are treating the orders and the courts with complete contempt. These figures pose some very hard questions, which need answers."

A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service, said: "The number of prisoners recalled has been as expected. Only those prisoners who, following a rigorous prison and community risk assessment, present a low risk of reoffending, are released on the scheme. A very small number of prisoners have committed further minor offencesk."