Tagging is meant to keep offenders in at night under curfew

Tagging - the electronic monitoring of criminals - is a key weapons in the fight against crime.

It was introduced in 1999 to tackle prison overcrowding, control juvenile offenders and toughen up community sentences.

There are currently nearly 11,000 convicted criminals "on the tag" with plans to double that number by 2008.

The scheme allows offenders to live at home while wearing a device around their ankle which monitors compliance with their curfew conditions. The Home Office says it stops re-offending and keeps people out of prison.

But Real Story meets criminals with their own stories to tell about beating the system to repeatedly commit crimes while on the tag.

The programme also investigates the private companies being paid millions through government contracts to keep a close eye on the offenders.