An interim space plan for the Whitehorse Correctional Centre will help with some of the spacing issues in the women's section of the jail, says Justice Minister Marian Horne.

During question period Monday, Liberal justice critic Don Inverarity questioned Horne on the situation at the jail. He pointed to reports of inmates sleeping on mats on floors in the jail or being released early due to spacing issues.

'We've been told that these problems would be taken care of and that the government would provide answers to these issues in the interim space plan, which is supposed to be finished,' he noted during question period.

Inverarity also asked the minister to confirm whether extra staff have been hired to deal with the situation.

'We are accommodating the female prisoners as best we can in the situation we have at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre,' Horne said during question period.

In an interview this morning, Horne continued to point to the ongoing plans for the jail. They include a rearrangement of the women's dorm to enable female inmates to stay in separate areas depending on the number of inmates.

There is currently room for up to 13 inmates to be housed at the jail. It's expected that will remain the same when the renovations are done, but there will be room for more outdoor time and programming, she stressed.

The interim space plan will also include additional washroom facilities for the women and a separate outdoor yard for them as well.

She argued inmates are let out early for a variety of reasons which can include something similar to parole (which is at the federal level), having their sentences converted into conditional terms and other reasons, depending on what sentence is handed down.

Some inmates serve their sentences on weekends, for example, she noted.

Department of Justice spokesman Chris Beacom said today an additional eight correctional officers have been hired since last July, bringing the total number of officers up to 11 hired since last January.

Of those hired since July, four are women, with two being of first nations ancestry. One of the four men hired since July is also first nations, he said.

The interim space plan will be ready for the end of the fiscal year, Horne said Monday.