Institute for Criminal Policy Research - World Prison Population List, 2018
Download original document:
Document text
Document text
This text is machine-read, and may contain errors. Check the original document to verify accuracy.
World Prison Population List twelfth edition Roy Walmsley Introduction This twelfth edition of the World Prison Population List gives details of the number of prisoners held in 223 prison systems in independent countries and dependent territories. It shows the differences in the levels of imprisonment across the world and makes possible an estimate of the world prison population total. The figures include both pre-trial detainees/remand prisoners and those who have been convicted and sentenced. The information is the latest available at the end of September 2018. The data are presented in two parts. Part one, tables 1-5, sets out prison population totals, rates and trends for each individual country. Part two, tables 6-8, provides data on prison population totals, rates and trends by continent, and shows that in recent years a number of countries have recorded substantial changes in prison population levels (some increases and some decreases). The World Prison Population List, like the World Female Imprisonment List (the fourth edition of which was published in November 2017) and the World Pre-trial/Remand Imprisonment List (third edition published in February 2017), complements the information held on the World Prison Brief. This is an online database available at www.prisonstudies.org, and is updated monthly. The Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London (www.icpr.org.uk), hosts and maintains the World Prison Brief database and publishes the Prison Lists1. The World Prison Population List is compiled from a variety of sources. In almost all cases the original source is the national prison administration of the country concerned, or else the Ministry responsible for the prison administration. Most of the figures are recent and efforts are continually made to update them and to obtain information on the number of prisoners in the countries on which figures are not currently available (Eritrea, Somalia and North Korea) or are incomplete. We welcome the assistance of readers in notifying us of the latest figures. Care has been taken to ensure that the List is as accurate as possible but we cannot guarantee the reliability of every figure and readers are also invited to draw attention to any errors they notice and, if possible, to supply corrections. It is hoped that this edition of the World Prison Population List will be useful for policy makers, prison administrators, academic criminologists, nongovernmental organisations, other criminal justice experts and everyone who is interested in the extent of imprisonment. The information may prompt fresh thought about the size of prison populations, given the high costs and disputed efficacy of imprisonment and the fact that prison overcrowding is widespread. 1 The first five editions of the World Prison Population List (1999-2004) were published by the Research and Statistics Directorate of the United Kingdom Home Office and the next five (2005-13) by the International Centre for Prison Studies. 1 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Key points CC This report shows that more than 10.74 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world, either as pre-trial detainees/remand prisoners or having been convicted and sentenced. Figures for Eritrea, Somalia and the Democratic People’s Republic of (North) Korea are not available and those for China and Guinea Bissau are incomplete (see footnote to Table 3 concerning China). Also missing are prisoners held under authorities not recognised internationally and those pre-trial prisoners who are held in police facilities and not included in published national prison population totals. The full total is therefore higher than 10.74 million and is likely to be well over 11 million. •• in the Americas the median rate for south American countries is 233 whereas for central American countries it is 316; •• in Asia the median rate for countries in southern Asia (mainly the Indian subcontinent) is 88 whereas for central Asian countries it is 160.5; •• in Europe the median rate for western European countries is 81 whereas for the countries spanning Europe and Asia (e.g. the Russian Federation and Turkey) it is 268; •• in Oceania the median rate is 182.5. CC Since about the year 2000 the world prison population total has grown by 24%, which is about the same as the estimated increase in the world’s general population over the same period. There are considerable differences between the continents, and variation within continents. The total prison population in Oceania has increased by 86%, that in the Americas by 41%, that in Asia by 38% and that in Africa by 29%; in Europe, by contrast, the total prison population has decreased by 22%. The European figure reflects large falls in prison populations in Russia (45%) and also in central and eastern Europe; the prison population in Europe other than Russia has increased by 3%. Particularly large rises have been recorded in south America (175%) and south-eastern Asia (122%). CC There are more than 2.1 million prisoners in the United States of America, 1.65 million in China (plus unknown numbers in pre-trial detention and other forms of detention), 690,000 in Brazil, 583,000 in the Russian Federation, 420,000 in India, 364,000 in Thailand, 249,000 in Indonesia, 233,000 in Turkey, 230,000 in Iran, 204,000 in Mexico and 188,000 in the Philippines. CC The countries with the highest prison population rate – that is, the number of prisoners per 100,000 of the national population – are the United States (655 per 100,000), followed by El Salvador (604), Turkmenistan (552), U.S. Virgin Islands (542), Thailand (526), Cuba (510), Maldives (499), Northern Mariana Islands – U.S.A. (482), British Virgin Islands (470), Rwanda (464), Bahamas (438), Seychelles (437), Grenada (435), St Vincent and the Grenadines (426), Guam – U.S.A. (404) and Russian Federation (402). CC Over the three years since the previous edition of the World Prison Population List was published there has been little overall change in world prison population levels. The known prison population of the world has grown by 386,500 (3.7%) but the national populations have grown by almost as much (3.0%). Thus, the prison population level per head of population has risen by less than 1%. However, the global figure masks substantial changes – both upwards and downwards – in some countries. There have been large rises per head of population in Cambodia (68%), Nicaragua (61%), Egypt (53%), Philippines (48%), Indonesia (45%), Ecuador (37%), Jordan and Turkey (both 31%). There have been large falls per head of population in Mexico (23%), Romania (22%), Kazakhstan (21%), Ukraine (19%), Japan (15%), Vietnam (11%) and the Russian Federation (10%). CC However, more than half of all countries and territories (53%) have rates below 150 per 100,000. CC The world prison population rate, based on United Nations estimates of national population levels, is 145 per 100,000. CC Prison population rates vary considerably between different regions of the world, and between different parts of the same continent. For example: •• in Africa the median rate for western African countries is 53 whereas for southern African countries it is 244; 2 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Part 1: Prison population totals, rates and trends per country Table 1 AFRICA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Northern Africa Algeria c. 60,000 9.17 41.20m c. 146 2000 2005 2010 2015 33,992 43,797 58,000 62,150 108 131 161 155 Egypt c. 106,000 8.16 91.35m c. 116 2001 2006 2011 56,587 64,378 c. 66,000 84 87 c. 83 Libya 6,187 4.14 6.24m 99 2004 2010 9,763 13,242 178 220 82,512 2.18 35.50m 232 2000 2005 2010 2015 54,288 50,933 64,877 74,039 187 167 201 214 Sudan c. 21,000 7.17 40.57m c. 52 2002 2009 2013 12,809 19,144 19,101 44 57 52 Tunisia 20,755 10.17 11.49m 181 2004 2009 2013 c. 26,000 26,319 25,000 c. 261 250 226 Benin 7,890 12.17 11.59m 68 2000 2006 2010 2014 4,961 5,834 6,908 7,067 71 69 73 67 Burkina Faso 7,670 31.12.16 18.90m 41 2000 2005 2010 2014 2,204 3,315 5,198 6,827 19 24 33 38 Cape Verde 1,542 31.8.17 518,000 298 1999 2010 2013 755 1,226 1,428 172 251 285 Cote d’Ivoire 16,127 12.17 24.58m 66 2002 2008 2015 10,355 11,143 12,147 62 61 52 Gambia 1,121 11.14 1.93m 58 1999 2002 2009 478 450 780 40 34 47 Ghana 15,063 30.9.18 29.44m 51 2000 2005 2010 2015 9,507 12,371 13,507 14,355 51 58 56 53 c. 3,200 2.17 12.85m c. 25 2002 2008 2014 3,070 2,780 c. 2,500 34 27 c. 21 196* 18.2.17 1.92m 10* Liberia 2,211 26.7.17 4.73m Mali 5,209 .14 Mauritania 1,920 Niger Morocco Western Africa Guinea (Rep. of) Guinea Bissau not available 47 2007 2011 2015 1,022 1,601 2,203 29 39 49 15.77m 33 2002 2009 4,040 6,700 38 49 1.16 4.13m 46 2001 2005 2010 2014 1,413 c. 815 1,700 1,768 50 c. 26 47 44 10,383 31.12.15 19.65m 53 2002 2006 2010 c. 6,000 7,381 5,337 c. 51 53 33 Nigeria 73,631 16.7.18 199.27m 37 2000 2005 2010 2015 44,450 39,006 46,586 57,313 36 28 29 32 Senegal 12,500 3.18 16.39m 76 2000 2005 2010 2014 4,894 6,417 7,300 8,630 51 59 59 58 3 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 1 (continued) AFRICA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate c. 1,400 2,237 3,488 c. 26 34 48 Sierra Leone 4,519 11.9.18 7.75m 58 2004 2010 2015 Togo 4,859 1.10.17 7.57m 64 2003 2010 2015 3,200 4,116 4,427 61 65 62 Angola 24,000 4.16 25.70m 93 2001 2005 2009 2013 4,000 c. 8,300 16,183 21,634 26 c. 46 78 92 Cameroon 29,341 31.12.16 24.22m 121 2002 2005 2009 2013 20,000 22,734 23,368 25,914 119 127 115 115 764 .15 4.80m 16 2005 2010 c. 1,000 1,320 c. 25 c. 29 8,000 5.15 13.57m 59 2000 2005 2010 2,385 3,416 4,775 29 34 41 Congo (Republic of) c. 1,240 8.9.14 4.58m c. 27 2005 2009 1,550 2,410 44 60 Dem. Rep. of Congo c. 20,550 .15 71.25m c. 29 2004 2010 c. 30,000 c. 22,000 c. 58 c. 35 Equatorial Guinea c. 500 .15 799,000 c. 63 Gabon 3,373 31.12.15 1.77m 251 10.17 6,504 Central Africa Central African Republic Chad not available 191 2006 2013 c. 2,750 c. 3,500 c. 195 c. 210 214,000 117 2002 2006 2010 2014 130 160 305 201 90 101 171 101 28.9.15 12.45m 52 2011 c. 8,000 c. 77 10,093 10.17 12.05m 84 2001 2005 2010 2015 9,013 7,167 9,481 8,689 130 90 100 77 191 11.17 813,000 23 2009 2013 c. 150 206 c. 22 28 Djibouti c. 600 .16 913,000 c. 66 2000 2009 2013 c. 200 525 550 c. 27 64 63 Ethiopia 113,727 2013-14 89.56m 127 2000-01 2005-06 2010-11 62,597 72,211 104,467 94 96 124 Kenya 54,000 9.18 49.95m 108 2000 2005 2010 2015 40,010 50,000 49,757 54,631 129 141 122 119 Madagascar 20,954 7.17 25.64m 82 1999 2005 2010 2015 20,109 20,294 18,647 20,595 131 109 89 85 Malawi 14,795 18.9.17 18.42m 80 2000 2005 2010 2015 7,728 9,656 11,672 12,129 69 75 78 70 2,499 13.8.18 1.285m 194 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,635 2,547 2,449 2,072 137 209 196 163 18,185 31.12.17 29.94m 61 1999 2004 2010 2015 8,812 c. 10,000 15,303 15,203 49 c. 48 62 54 Sao Tome e Principe South Sudan Eastern Africa Burundi Comoros Mauritius Mozambique 4 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 1 (continued) AFRICA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate c. 115,000** c. 67,000** 55,000** 54,279** c. 1,369** c. 702** 507** 434** 61,000** 8.17 13.14m 464** 2000 2005 2010 2015 423 4.4.18 96,865 437 2000 2005 2010 2015 c. 166 162 415 752 c. 205 196 462 805 Tanzania 31,382 12.15 54.24m 58 2000 2005 2011 45,611 46,416 38,353 135 118 81 Uganda 54,059 10.17 41.99m 129 2000 2005 2010 2015 c. 21,700 26,126 30,312 45,092 c. 92 93 91 115 Zambia 25,000 5.17 17.17m 146 2000 2005 2010 2015 11,999 14,207 16,666 18,560 116 124 128 115 Zimbabwe 19,521 1.5.17 16.27m 120 2000 2005 2010 2015 20,567 18,033 13,361 18,857 164 138 96 122 Mayotte (France) 308 1.9.18 260,750 118 2003 2008 2013 163 198 188 98 103 82 Reunion (France) 1,148 1.9.18 884,000 130 2001 2006 2011 2015 1,079 962 1,078 1,046 144 120 129 121 Botswana 4,343 2.17 2.09m 208 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,742 6,259 c. 5,063 4,108 381 333 c. 256 199 Lesotho 2,073 30.8.14 2.26m 92 2000 2005 2010 2,908 2,712 2,498 147 130 115 Namibia c. 7,400 .16 2.51m c. 295 2000 2004 2010 4,883 4,442 4,251 254 218 191 South Africa 158,111 4.7.17 56.50m 280 2000 2005 2010 2015 171,462 187,394 163,312 159,241 394 400 328 292 3,610 3.15 1.28m 282 2000 2005 2011 2,745 2,667 3,764 257 242 311 Rwanda Seychelles Southern Africa Swaziland/eSwatini * The Guinea Bissau total is for three prisons only. Figures for pre-trial prisoners held in police custody are not available. ** The prison population of Rwanda still includes many thousands detained in connection with the genocide of 1994. Figures are not available for: Eastern Africa: Eritrea, Somalia. 5 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 2 AMERICAS Prison population total Date Estimated national population 41,145 2015-16 35.94m 2,121,600 31.12.16 Bermuda (UK) 209 Greenland (Denmark) Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 114 2000-01 2005-06 2010-11 35,533 35,436 39,916 115 110 117 323.90m 655 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,937,482 2,195,471 2,270,142 2,166,600 683 739 731 672 1.15 65,500 319 2000 2004 2010 298 364 277 473 569 426 126 1.12.16 55,900 225 2000 2005 2010 2014 88 114 171 131 157 200 302 234 1,297 30.6.17 364,000 356 2000 2005 2010 2015 765 1,234 1,420 1,443 320 454 460 410 Costa Rica 19,226 1.10.17 5.14m 374 2000 2005 2010 2015 7,575 9,053 12,110 19,003 193 210 259 380 El Salvador 38,714 13.8.18 6.41m 604 2000 2005 2010 2015 7,754 12,525 24,662 32,645 132 207 399 516 Guatemala 24,386 26.9.18 17.33m 141 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,974 8,247 11,148 19,834 62 65 78 121 Honduras 18,950 21.8.17 8.77m 216 2000 2005 2010 2015 11,500 11,545 11,846 15,914 184 166 154 188 204,422 31.3.18 124.43m 164 2000 2005 2010 2015 154,765 205,821 219,027 247,488 156 195 194 205 Nicaragua 17,196 9.17 6.23m 276 2000 2005 2010 2014 6,539 6,382 c. 6,500 10,569 128 117 c. 113 175 Panama 16,183 28.3.18 4.15m 390 2000 2005 2010 2015 8,652 11,571 12,293 16,485 283 344 336 414 305 17.6.18 95,000 321 2000 2005 2010 2015 c. 170 194 295 370 c. 218 234 339 401 Bahamas 1,746 12.17 399,000 438 2000 2005 2010 2014 c. 1,400 1,500 1,322 1,396 c. 470 453 367 363 Barbados 874 3.18 291,500 300 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,411 997 910 924 527 365 324 322 57,337 5.12 11.25m 510 2003 2006 c. 55,000 c. 60,000 c. 487 c. 531 211 7.16 73,000 289 1999 2005 2010 298 282 295 426 397 415 Northern America Canada U.S.A. Central America Belize Mexico Caribbean Antigua & Barbuda Cuba Dominica 6 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 2 (continued) AMERICAS Prison population total Date Estimated national population 26,286 31.8.18 11.03m 465 9.16 10,512 Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 238 2000 2005 2010 2015 14,995 12,495 20,743 24,617 173 133 208 232 107,000 435 2002 2006 2010 2014 297 334 432 484 291 324 411 457 19.5.17 10.97m 96 2000 2005 2010 2015 4,219 3,670 5,331 11,046 49 39 53 102 3,866 23.11.16 2.81m 138 2003 2007 2011 2015 4,744 4,709 4,457 3,860 178 174 161 138 St Kitts & Nevis 220 6.17 56,000 393 1999 2005 2010 2014 135 209 256 334 300 422 488 607 St Lucia 527 8.17 188,000 280 1999 2005 2010 2015 373 503 526 628 241 303 296 339 St Vincent & the Grenadines 469 20.9.18 110,000 426 1999 2005 2010 2014 405 364 413 412 375 334 379 378 3,667 9.12.15 1.36m 270 2000 2005 2010 4,633 3,683 3,766 365 283 283 Anguilla (UK) 55 30.8.18 15,000 367 2004 2007 2010 2015 41 56 58 46 342 431 414 307 Aruba (Neth) 170 23.10.14 103,000 165 2005 2011 231 246 232 241 Cayman Is. (UK) 253 20.6.18 64,400 393 2000 2005 2010 2015 227 190 212 190 565 393 382 320 Curacao (Neth) 377 7.12.16 159,800 236 1999 2006 2010 2014 434 578 541 348 306 412 365 221 Guadeloupe (France) 970 1.9.18 449,000 216 2001 2006 2011 2015 628 718 784 907 147 162 174 202 Martinique (France) 814 1.9.18 385,000 211 2001 2006 2011 2015 608 649 885 940 156 163 225 244 10,475 7.17 3.35m 313 2000 2005 2010 2015 14,691 14,263 10,878 12,074 384 364 294 349 62 7.18 40,550 153 2002 2006 2011 2014 129 141 138 161 396 362 319 347 Virgin Is. (UK) 134 11.14 28,500 470 1999 2005 2010 43 105 117 215 457 433 Virgin Is. (USA) 577 3.13 106,700 542 2000 2005 2010 518 596 577 475 554 544 Dominican Republic Grenada Haiti Jamaica Trinidad & Tobago Puerto Rico (USA) Sint Maarten (Neth) 7 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 2 (continued) AMERICAS Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate South America Argentina 81,975 31.12.16 44.06m 186 1999 2005 2010 2015 38,604 63,357 65,095 75,769 105 161 157 174 Bolivia 17,946 4.18 11.53m 156 2000 2005 2010 2015 8,151 6,793 9,406 13,672 95 72 92 123 Brazil 690,722 9.18 213.27m 324 2000 2005 2010 2015 232,755 361,402 496,251 698,618 132 191 249 335 Chile 42,683 31.8.18 18.30m 233 2000 2005 2010 2015 33,050 37,033 54,628 42,954 215 228 320 240 Colombia 118,708 31.8.18 49.53m 240 2000 2005 2010 2015 51,518 66,829 84,444 120,444 128 154 183 249 Ecuador 37,497 28.3.18 16.89m 222 2000 2005 2010 2014 8,029 11,971 11,800 25,902 64 87 79 162 Guyana 2,200 8.18 778,500 283 2001 2005 2010 2015 1,507 1,524 2,160 1,944 205 204 286 253 Paraguay 13,607 10.17 6.84m 199 2000 2005 2010 2015 3,219 6,282 6,197 12,741 60 108 99 191 Peru 87,995 30.6.18 32.55m 270 2000 2005 2010 2015 27,734 33,010 45,464 75,003 107 119 155 239 Suriname c. 1,000 11.14 547,000 c. 183 2000 2005 2009 786 820 915 168 164 175 Uruguay 11,078 31.8.17 3.45m 321 2000 2005 2010 2015 4,469 6,211 8,700 9,996 135 187 257 291 Venezuela 57,096 .17 32.16m 178 2000 2005 2010 2015 14,196 19,853 40,825 49,664 58 74 140 159 726 1.9.18 291,000 249 2001 2005 2010 2015 423 600 715 701 247 293 306 259 Fr. Guiana/ Guyane (Fr) 8 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 3 ASIA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Western Asia 3,485 .17 1.49m 234 2003 2010 2015 437 1,100 c. 3,795 57 89 c. 281 Iraq 45,000 mid-15 35.77m 126 2004 2007 2010 c. 7,000 26,472 39,130 c. 26 91 125 Israel 19,325 19.10.17 8.18m 236 2000 2005 2010 2015 9,421 16,059 20,164 21,072 158 240 270 265 Jordan 15,700 3.18 7.95m 197 2001 2005 2010 2015 5,621 6,378 8,434 11,489 115 120 129 150 Kuwait 6,000 3.18 3.82m 157 2000 2005 2010 2015 c. 3,100 c. 3,500 4,179 c. 4,000 c. 162 c. 152 140 c. 112 Lebanon 6,330 8.17 5.03m 126 2000 2005 2010 2015 4,917 6,921 5,060 6,502 154 173 117 128 Oman 1,300 .13 3.63m 36 2000 2002 2,020 1,403 92 61 Qatar c. 1,150 .13 2.17m c. 53 2000 2004 2008 570 465 551 96 60 38 Saudi Arabia 61,000 6.17 30.92m 197 2000 2002 2009 2013 23,720 28,612 44,600 47,000 116 131 165 161 Syria 10,599 .04 17.68m 60 2003 11,829 68 9,826 .14 9.45m 104 2001 2006 2012 c. 11,000 11,193 9,824 c. 351 229 107 c. 14,000 7.13 26.23m c. 53 2003 2006 2010 16,252 10,415 12,409 84 49 52 Kazakhstan 33,989 20.6.18 18.25m 186 2000 2005 2010 2015 78,029 52,608 63,643 47,939 520 342 393 274 Kyrgyzstan 10,574 31.1.18 6.18m 171 2000 2005 2010 2015 20,000 16,662 9,923 9,581 402 327 183 163 9,317 12.10 7.70m 121 2001 2006 c. 11,000 10,804 c. 175 157 30,452 9.17 5.52m 552 2000 2005 2010 2013 c. 22,000 13,462 c. 26,500 30,568 c. 488 283 c. 522 583 c. 43,900 .14 29.33m c. 150 2000 2003 2009 63,900 48,000 c. 42,000 257 188 c. 153 Afghanistan 30,000 4.17 34.00m 88 2004 2007 2010 2015 5,262 10,590 18,283 27,527 22 41 65 85 Bangladesh 88,424 13.8.18 166.97m 53 2000 2005 2010 2015 62,669 74,766 69,650 69,719 47 52 46 43 1,119 12.14 772,000 145 2011 1,001 137 Bahrain United Arab Emirates Yemen Central Asia Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Southern Asia Bhutan 9 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 3 (continued) ASIA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 272,079 358,368 368,998 26 32 30 India 419,623 31.12.15 1,289.7m 33 2000 2005 2010 Iran 230,000 6.17 80.91m 284 2001 2005 2010 2014 158,000 134,384 204,365 225,624 237 192 275 287 1,852 9.17 371,000 499 2000 2005 2010 2015 2,166 983 830 1,513 793 330 255 421 Nepal 18,881 6.17 29.16m 65 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,000 7,135 10,739 17,486 25 28 40 61 Pakistan 83,718 .18 196.51m 43 2000 2005 2010 2015 78,938 89,370 75,586 80,169 56 57 43 43 Sri Lanka 20,598 12.17 21.99m 94 2000 2005 2010 2015 16,412 22,114 26,984 17,996 87 111 130 83 565 mid-15 423,000 134 2000 2005 2010 333 492 379 101 136 96 Cambodia 28,414 15.12.17 16.19m 176 2000 2005 2010 2015 5,502 8,160 14,043 17,522 45 61 97 111 Indonesia 248,765 24.8.18 266.77m 93 2000 2005 2010 2015 53,399 97,671 117,863 176,754 26 44 49 68 8,201 .16 6.88m 119 2004 4,020 70 Malaysia 55,413 9.17 31.27m 177 2000 2005 2010 2015 27,358 35,644 38,387 51,184 116 138 137 169 Myanmar 79,668 .17 54.84m 145 2001 2004 2009 2013 31,648 c. 60,000 60,053 c. 60,000 64 c. 120 117 c. 113 Philippines 188,278 31.5.18 105.21m 179 2000 2005 2010 2015 79,299 90,492 95,390 135,752 102 105 103 135 Singapore 11,691 31.12.17 5.83m 201 2000 2005 2010 2015 13,791 13,644 12,852 12,394 352 299 250 219 364,288 1.9.18 69.20m 526 2000 2005 2010 2015 223,406 162,293 210,855 310,399 354 248 313 452 659 4.17 1.29m 51 2003 2009 2013 c. 320 223 429 c. 35 21 36 130,002 10.17 95.17m 137 2005 2010 2015 88,414 108,557 136,245 104 122 146 Maldives South-Eastern Asia Brunei Darussalam Laos Thailand Timor-Leste Vietnam 10 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 3 (continued) ASIA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Eastern Asia China 1,649,804* mid-15 1,397.0m 118* 2000 2005 2010 1,427,407* 1,565,771* 1,656,773* 111* 118* 121* Japan 51,805 31.7.18 126.52m 41 2000 2005 2010 2015 61,242 79,052 72,975 58,497 48 62 57 46 Korea (Republic of) 55,198 31.12.17 50.80m 109 2000 2005 2010 2015 62,959 52,403 47,471 53,892 136 110 97 107 3,099 mid-17 3.05m 102 2001 2005 2010 2015 6,656 6,998 7,044 5,471 275 277 260 184 62,634 31.7.18 23.65m 265 2000 2005 2010 2015 56,676 60,122 65,311 62,899 254 264 282 268 Hong Kong (China) 8,306 30.6.18 7.43m 112 2000 2005 2010 2015 12,017 11,311 9,988 8,438 180 165 142 115 Macau (China) 1,371 30.6.18 657,800 208 2000 2005 2010 2015 847 897 929 1,280 196 185 172 198 Mongolia Taiwan * The China figures are for sentenced prisoners only. Figures for pre-trial detention and other forms of detention are not available; more than 650,000 were so held in 2009 (Supreme People’s Procuratorate). Figures are not available for: Eastern Asia: Democratic People’s Republic of (North) Korea Table 4 EUROPE Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Northern Europe Denmark 3,635 1.9.18 5.80m 63 2000 2005 2010 2015 3,382 4,041 3,965 3,422 63 75 71 60 Estonia 2,575 24.9.18 1.32m 195 2000 2005 2010 2015 4,712 4,565 3,555 2,921 343 337 267 222 Finland 2,842 1.9.18 5.52m 51 2000 2005 2010 2015 2,855 3,888 3,291 3,068 55 74 61 56 Iceland 131 1.9.18 355,180 37 2000 2005 2010 2015 78 119 165 146 28 40 52 44 Ireland 3,816 28.9.18 4.88m 78 2000 2005 2010 2015 2,948 3,151 4,290 3,722 77 76 94 79 Latvia 3,765 1.1.18 1.93m 195 2000 2005 2010 2015 8,815 7,646 7,055 4,745 370 340 333 239 Lithuania 6,544 1.9.18 2.78m 235 2000 2005 2010 2015 14,412 8,125 8,655 8,636 410 242 275 296 11 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 4 (continued) EUROPE Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 2,548 3,124 3,624 3,746 57 68 74 72 Norway 3,373 5.9.18 5.32m 63 2000 2005 2010 2015 Sweden 5,979 1.10.17 10.09m 59 2000 2005 2010 2015 5,326 7,008 6,902 5,920 60 78 74 60 83,014 28.9.18 59.20m 140 2000 2005 2010 2015 64,602 75,979 84,725 85,626 124 142 153 148 UK: Northern Ireland 1,435 28.9.18 1.88m 76 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,068 1,301 1,465 1,661 64 76 81 90 UK: Scotland 7,771 28.9.18 5.45m 143 2000 2005 2010 2015 5,869 6,792 7,806 7,744 116 133 150 144 6 avrge 17 50,225 12 2000 2005 2010 2015 9 10 10 10 20 20 20 19 Guernsey (UK) 109 28.9.18 65,900 165 2000 2005 2010 2015 59 105 75 91 94 164 114 139 Isle of Man (UK) 106 31.8.18 85,000 125 2000 2005 2010 2015 54 60 97 78 70 75 115 93 Jersey (UK) 130 28.9.18 106,500 122 2000 2005 2010 2015 130 172 177 151 150 190 183 148 Albania 5,407 8.18 2.87m 188 2001 2005 2010 2015 3,053 4,356 4,750 5,934 99 139 148 205 Andorra 52 5.3.18 75,100 69 2001 2006 2010 2015 48 30 61 52 72 37 78 67 Bosnia & Herzegovina – Federation 1,722 31.12.14 2.35m 73 2000 2005 2010 1,041 1,435 1,714 45 62 75 Bosnia & Herzegovina – Republika Srpska 863 31.12.17 1.30m 66 2001 2005 2010 2015 849 955 1,046 877 61 68 75 67 3,190 1.1.18 4.11m 78 2000 2005 2010 2015 2,027 3,022 4,891 3,763 45 68 110 89 710 1.9.16 852,600 83 2000 2005 2010 312 536 900 45 70 108 Greece 10,409 17.9.18 10.72m 97 2000 2005 2010 2015 7,625 8,722 11,364 11,798 70 79 102 109 Italy 59,135 31.8.18 60.41m 98 2000 2005 2010 2015 53,165 59,523 67,961 52,164 93 101 112 86 1,648 31.12.16 1.74m 95 2000 2005 2010 2015 227 1,199 1,333 1,478 11 58 61 84 UK: England & Wales Faeroes (Denmark) Southern Europe Croatia Cyprus* Kosovo 12 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 4 (continued) EUROPE Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 1,178 1,844 2,516 3,498 59 90 122 169 2,931 1.1.18 2.08m 141 2000 2005 2010 2015 588 31.10.17 442,440 133 2001 2005 2010 2015 257 294 583 569 65 73 141 131 1,123 31.12.16 622,400 180 2000 2005 2010 2015 664 812 1,457 1,131 110 132 235 182 13,065 15.9.18 10.28m 127 2000 2005 2010 2015 12,944 12,889 11,613 14,224 126 123 110 138 3 1.1.18 33,400 - 1999 2005 2010 2015 2 1 0 2 - 10,807 1.1.18 7.00m 154 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,160 8,078 11,211 10,067 82 109 155 142 1,333 1.9.18 2.07m 64 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,148 1,159 1,304 1,392 58 58 64 68 59,087 21.9.18 46.76m 126 2000 2005 2010 2015 45,309 60,707 76,701 65,472 113 139 165 141 56 12.12.16 33,950 165 2000 2005 2010 18 27 53 67 94 180 Austria 8,692 1.9.18 8.86m 98 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,862 8,869 8,597 8,743 86 108 102 101 Belgium 10,073 18.9.18 11.46m 88 2000 2005 2010 2015 8,688 9,375 10,561 11,891 85 90 97 106 France* 65,084 1.9.18 65.14m 100 2000 2005 2010 2015 48,049 55,302 61,430 61,714 82 91 98 96 Germany 62,194 31.3.18 82.93m 75 2000 2005 2010 2015 70,252 78,664 69,385 61,737 85 95 85 76 10 1.1.16 37,600 27 1999 2005 2010 24 10 14 74 29 39 650 1.9.18 609,500 107 2000 2005 2010 2015 394 693 690 668 90 149 136 117 29 1.1.18 38,300 76 2000 2005 2010 2015 18 26 12 28 51 74 34 74 Netherlands 10,464 30.9.17 17.11m 61 2000 2005 2010 2015 13,847 21,826 15,235 10,274 87 134 92 61 Switzerland 6,863 6.9.17 8.48m 81 2000 2005 2010 2015 5,760 6,137 6,181 6,884 80 82 79 83 Macedonia (FYROM) Malta Montenegro Portugal San Marino* Serbia Slovenia Spain Gibraltar (UK) Western Europe Liechtenstein* Luxembourg Monaco* 13 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 4 (continued) EUROPE Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Central & Eastern Europe Belarus 34,600 1.10.16 9.50m 364 2000 2005 2010 2014 56,590 41,538 39,627 29,776 566 426 418 314 Bulgaria 9,028 10.14 7.21m 125 2000 2005 2010 10,147 10,871 9,896 124 140 131 Czech Republic 21,806 24.9.18 10.63m 205 2000 2005 2010 2015 21,538 18,937 21,900 20,866 210 185 209 198 Hungary 16,947 1.9.18 9.77m 173 2000 2005 2010 2015 15,539 15,720 16,328 17,449 152 156 163 178 Moldova* 7,510 1.4.18 3.55m 212 2000 2005 2010 2015 9,449 9,377 6,535 7,317 260 260 183 206 Poland 73,524 31.8.18 37.98m 194 2000 2005 2010 2015 70,544 82,955 80,728 70,836 184 217 210 186 Romania 21,527 28.9.18 19.43m 111 2000 2005 2010 2015 48,267 36,700 28,244 28,334 215 173 140 143 Slovakia 10,415 1.8.18 5.45m 191 2000 2005 2010 2015 6,941 8,897 10,031 9,913 129 165 186 183 Ukraine* 56,246 1.9.18 35.9m c. 157 2000 2005 2010 2015 218,800 188,465 147,716 73,431 443 400 323 c. 201 3,536 1.1.18 2.97m 119 2000 2005 2010 2015 7,281 2,673 4,807 3,880 236 89 162 130 23,320 1.1.18 9.93m 235 2000 2005 2010 2015 23,504 18,656 21,971 24,197 291 221 241 250 9,990 31.8.18 3.73m 268 2000 2005 2010 2015 8,349 9,688 23,684 9,716 190 220 530 261 Russian Federation 582,889 1.9.18 144.9m 402 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,060,404 763,115 864,197 671,649 729 532 609 466 Turkey 232,886 1.1.18 80.89m 288 2000 2005 2010 2015 49,512 55,870 120,814 178,089 73 77 164 226 Europe/Asia Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia* 14 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) * The figures for Cyprus do not include prisoners in the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). There were 443 prisoners in TRNC in September 2017. The figures for France are those for Metropolitan France. Those for French departments and territories in Africa, the Americas and Oceania are shown under those continents in tables 1, 2 and 5. The figures for Georgia do not include prisoners in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have declared internationally unrecognised independence from Georgia. By agreement with Austria and Switzerland, some persons imprisoned by Liechtenstein may be held in prisons in those countries. The figures for Moldova do not include prisoners in the internationally unrecognised territory that has declared independence from Moldova and is known variously as Transdniestria, Transnistria or Pridnestrovie. The territory is reported to have contained 2,840 prisoners in 2014. By agreement with France, some persons imprisoned by Monaco may be held in French prisons. The figures for San Marino do not show prison population rates because, by agreement with Italy, most persons imprisoned by San Marino are held in Italian prisons and the number of such prisoners is not available. The 2015 and 2018 figures for Ukraine do not include prisoners in Crimea and Sebastopol and those areas of Donetsk and Luhansk that are not under the control of the Ukrainian authorities. Table 5 OCEANIA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate Oceania 42,942 6.18 24.98m 172 2000 2005 2010 2015 21,714 25,353 29,700 36,134 114 126 135 152 1,889 9.16 900,000 210 2000 2005 2010 2015 1,185 1,113 1,097 1,591 146 135 127 178 129 mid-16 114,000 113 2000 2005 2010 2014 57 74 90 120 68 80 87 109 35 9.14 53,000 66 2003 2006 2010 c. 20 47 43 c. 38 90 83 132 31.12.14 104,000 127 2000 2005 2010 91 72 100 85 68 97 14 11.14 10,000 140 2003 2005 2010 6 3 20 60 30 200 10,435 30.6.18 4.88m 214 2000 2005 2010 2015 5,720 7,100 8,604 8,821 148 171 198 192 87 .17 22,000 395 2001 2005 2010 2015 70 97 88 72 368 485 440 343 4,945 10.16 7.83m 63 2000 2005 2010 2014 3,531 4,056 4,268 4,480 65 67 61 61 Samoa 400 12.17 195,600 204 2000 2005 2011 2015 173 247 427 501 99 137 227 258 Solomon Is. 477 mid-17 611,000 78 1999 2005 2010 2015 134 295 268 271 33 63 51 46 Tonga 176 7.14 106,000 166 2000 2005 2010 106 128 159 108 127 152 Tuvalu 11 8.14 10,000 110 2000 2005 2010 6 7 8 67 70 80 Australia Fiji Kiribati Marshall Is. Federated States of Micronesia Nauru New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea 15 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 5 (continued) OCEANIA Prison population total Date Estimated national population Prison population rate Trend information year total rate 46 138 187 151 25 66 80 58 Vanuatu 192 9.16 271,000 71 1999 2005 2010 2014 American Samoa (USA) 193 27.9.17 56,000 345 2000 2005 2010 2015 140 222 188 197 241 376 337 352 48 6.16 21,000 229 2000 2005 2010 2014 23 27 40 37 128 142 200 176 French Polynesia (Fr) 569 1.9.18 286,500 199 2001 2004 2007 2013 275 327 404 427 114 129 155 156 Guam (USA) 667 15.11.17 165,000 404 2000 2005 2010 2015 684 505 559 756 440 320 352 465 New Caledonia (France) 543 1.9.18 280,650 193 2001 2006 2011 2015 329 316 438 448 154 136 171 166 Northern Mariana Is. (USA) 270 6.17 56,000 482 2000 2005 2011 2014 97 149 162 175 141 235 304 319 Cook Is. (NZ) Sources The figures in the above tables originate almost always from the national prison administrations. Some were obtained indirectly, via the Ministry responsible for prisons, via national statistical offices, via United Nations surveys, via surveys for the annual meetings of the Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators, via the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE) and via U.S. State Department human rights reports. 16 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Part 2: Prison population totals, rates and trends by continent Table 6 World prison population levels – continental totals and rates Prison population totals (latest available at 30.9.2018) National populations (at dates of prison population totals) Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national populations) AFRICA 1,162,440 1,200.85m 97 AMERICAS 3,787,059 1,006.42m 376 ASIA 4,164,323 4,302.61m 97 EUROPE 1,565,643 835.09m 187 64,154 40.95m 157 10,743,619 7,385.92m 145 OCEANIA WORLD Table 7 World prison population levels – change since about the year 2000* AFRICA without Rwanda AMERICAS without U.S.A. ASIA without China & India EUROPE Estimated prison population total at about 2000** Latest available prison population total (at 30.9.2018) Change in prison population total since about 2000 Change in national populations mid-2000 to mid-2018 (United Nations) 902,500 1,162,440 +28.8% + 57.5% 787,500 1,101,440 +39.9% 2,690,300 3,787,059 +40.8% 752,818 1,665,459 +121.2% 3,023,500 4,164,323 +37.7% 1,324,014 2,094,896 +58.2% + 21.1% + 21.8% 2,013,600 1,565,643 -22.0% without Russia 953,196 982,754 + 3.1% OCEANIA 34,400 64,154 +86.5% + 32.1% 8,664,300 10,743,619 +24.0% + 24.2% WORLD + 4.4% *Does not include estimates in respect of the number of prisoners in Eritrea, Somalia and North Korea. For China only the numbers of sentenced prisoners are included. **Some of the figures on which the totals for about the year 2000 are based are estimates and so the continental totals have been rounded to the nearest 100. Since about the year 2000 the world prison population total has grown by 24%, which is about the same as the estimated increase in the world’s general population over the same period. There are considerable differences between the continents, and variation within continents. The growth in the African prison population is considerably less than the increase in the continent’s general population. However, this discrepancy is heavily influenced by the figures for Rwanda. Rwanda’s prison population is still inflated by the many thousands detained in connection with the genocide in 1994, but the numbers have almost halved since 2000. Without the figures for Rwanda the prison population in Africa has increased by 40% since 2000. The change in the prison population in the Americas since 2000 is greatly influenced by the trend in the United States, whose prison population is by far the largest but has grown much less than that of many other countries in the continent. Without the figures for the United States, the prison population in the Americas has increased by 121% since 2000, the increase being 67% in central America and 175% in south America. Prison population change since 2000 in Asia has varied greatly between the different parts of the continent: the totals in south-eastern Asia and in western Asia (Middle East) rose by 122% and 102% respectively while the total in central Asia fell by 34%. China and India with their high national populations strongly influence the overall Asian prison population level; the Chinese prison population rose by 16% while the Indian prison population rose by 54%. Excluding these two countries the Asian prison population rose by 58%. 17 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Europe is the only continent that has seen a fall in prisoner numbers since 2000. The scale of the decrease is heavily influenced by the figures for the Russian Federation: Russia’s prison population is by far the largest in Europe and has fallen by 45%. Excluding the Russian Federation, the prison population in Europe has risen by 3% since 2000. Russia is not the only part of Europe that has seen a large fall in the prison population: prisoner numbers in central and eastern Europe without Russia have fallen by 45% since 2000. By contrast there has been growth in the other regions of Europe: 7% in western Europe and northern Europe and 27% in southern Europe. The growth in the prison population of Oceania is higher than in any other continent. It is of course dominated by the figures for Australia, whose prison population has risen by 98% since 2000, and New Zealand whose total has risen by 82%. Table 8 World prison population levels – change since about 2015 (continents and selected countries) Prison population total – latest available at 31.10.2015 Prison population total – latest available at 30.9.2018 Percentage change in prison population total Prison population rate per 100k of nat’l pop’n 31.10.2015 Prison population rate per 100k of nat’l pop’n 30.9.2018 Percentage change in prison population rate Cote d‘Ivoire 10,850 16,127 + 49% 52 66 + 27% Egypt 62,000 106,000 + 71% 76 116 + 53% Morocco 76,000 82,512 + 9% 222 232 + 5% Nigeria 56,620 73,631 + 30% 31 37 + 19% Rwanda 54,279 61,000 + 12% 434 464 + 7% Uganda 45,092 54,059 + 20% 115 129 + 12% Zambia 18,560 25,000 + 35% 125 146 + 17% 1,038,735 1,162,440 + 12% 94 97 + 3% + 16% AFRICA Argentina Brazil Ecuador El Salvador Mexico Nicaragua 69,060 81,975 + 19% 160 186 607,731 690,722 + 14% 301 324 + 8% 25,902 37,497 + 45% 162 222 + 37% + 23% 31,686 38,714 + 22% 492 604 255,138 204,422 - 20% 212 164 - 23% 10,569 17,196 + 63% 171 276 + 61% + 12% Peru 75,379 87,995 + 17% 242 272 USA 2,217,000 2,121,600 - 4% 698 655 - 6% 3,780,528 3,787,059 + 0.02% 387 376 - 3% Bangladesh 69,719 88,424 + 27% 43 53 + 23% Cambodia 16,497 28,414 + 72% 105 176 + 68% 1,657,812 1,649,804 - 0.5% 119 118 - 0.8% + 45% AMERICAS China Indonesia 161,692 248,765 + 54% 64 93 Japan 60,486 51,805 - 14% 48 41 - 15% Jordan 10,089 15,700 + 56% 150 197 + 31% Kazakhstan 41,333 33,989 - 18% 234 186 - 21% Myanmar 60,000 79,668 + 33% 113 145 + 28% 120,076 188,278 + 57% 121 179 + 48% 47,000 61,000 + 30% 161 197 + 22% Thailand 311,036 364,288 + 17% 461 526 + 14% Vietnam 142,636 130,002 - 9% 154 137 - 11% 3,897,797 4,164,323 + 7% 92 97 + 5% Belarus 29,000 34,600 + 19% 306 364 + 19% Italy 52,434 59,135 + 13% 86 98 + 14% Romania 28,383 21,527 - 24% 143 111 - 22% Russian Fed. 642,470 582,889 - 9% 445 402 - 10% Turkey 172,562 232,886 + 35% 220 288 + 31% Philippines Saudi Arabia ASIA Ukraine EUROPE Australia OCEANIA WORLD 71,046 56,246 - 21% 195 157 - 19% 1,585,348 1,565,643 - 1% 192 187 - 2% 35,949 42,942 + 19% 151 172 + 14% 54,726 64,154 + 17% 140 157 + 12% 10,357,134 10,743,619 + 3.7% 144.4 145.5 + 0.7% 18 World Prison Population List (twelfth edition) Table 7 showed the trend in prison population levels since about the year 2000. Table 8 shows the changes since publication of the previous (11th) edition of the World Prison Population List in 2015. From 2015 to 2018 the known prison population of the world has increased by 386,500 (3.7%). There has been an aggregate increase of 3.0% in the world’s general population, based on each country’s figure for the dates to which the prison populations apply. Thus, the world prison population rate (prisoners per 100,000 of the general population) has remained quite stable, rising from 144 to 145. At a national level, however, prison population numbers in many countries have changed significantly and have not stayed in line with national population trends. Table 8 sets out examples of this. It lists the 34 countries whose prison populations increased or decreased by more than 5,000 over the three-year period. The table shows the percentage change in each country’s total prison population, and the percentage change in the prison population rate. It is the latter that is best used for comparison purposes because it takes account of changes in national populations. (The 5,000 cut-off means that there will be some small countries that are not included in the table despite having registered proportionately large changes to their prison population levels.) In Africa the most substantial changes have been in Egypt, where the prison population rate has risen by 53%, and Cote d’Ivoire (rise of 27%). Other large rises occurred in Nigeria (19%), Zambia (17%) and Uganda (12%). In the Americas the most substantial changes have been in Nicaragua (rise of 61%) and Ecuador (rise of 37%). Other large rises occurred in El Salvador (23%), Argentina (16%) and Peru (12%). A large fall (of 23%) was recorded in Mexico. In Asia the most substantial changes have been in Cambodia (rise of 68%), Philippines (rise of 48%) and Indonesia (rise of 45%). Other large rises occurred in Jordan (31%), Myanmar (28%), Bangladesh (23%), Saudi Arabia (22%) and Thailand (14%). Large falls were recorded in Kazakhstan (21%), Japan (15%) and Vietnam (11%). In Europe the most substantial changes have been rises in Turkey (31%), Belarus (19%) and Italy (14%), and falls in Romania (22%), Ukraine (19%) and the Russian Federation (10%). Finally, in Oceania the prison population rate in Australia rose by 14%. (In the next largest country in Oceania, New Zealand, the rate rose by 10%.) Roy Walmsley is Director of ICPR’s World Prison Brief, a comprehensive online database of information on the prison systems of the world, which can be accessed free of charge at www.prisonstudies.org. He also researches and compiles the World Female Imprisonment List and the World Pre-trial/Remand Imprisonment List. Institute for Criminal Policy Research www.prisonstudies.org www.icpr.org.uk 19