1. There are more than 11.5 million people in prison worldwide, mostly men
Around 120 countries have recorded occupancy rates exceeding prison system capacity.
2. Around a third of the global prison population are presumed innocent but remain confined in pre-trial detention
In over 50 countries there are more people detained pre-trial than those serving a prison sentence. Some efforts to tackle the use of pre-trial detention as a default measure have included time limits and removing mandatory pre-trial detention for specific offences.
3. There are more than 740,000 women and girls in prison globally, increasing in nearly all regions
Women and girls are a minority of the global prison population at 7%, but their number has increased at a faster rate than men, up 60% since 2000 compared to 22% for men. Poverty is a root cause of women’s imprisonment, and sharp increases in female prison populations in parts of Latin America and Asia are due to punitive drug policies which disproportionately impact women.
4. Almost 23 million children globally are affected by imprisonment, directly or parental
An estimated 261,200 children were in criminal justice detention in 2020. In addition, there are estimated to be more than 22.5 million children globally with at least one imprisoned parent (over 1% of the world’s child population) and a further 19,000 children living in prison with their mother.
5. The rise in living costs and austerity measures are being felt acutely by people in prison and their families
Rising costs of food, transport and energy bills have further stretched inadequate prison budgets. Also, families’ ability to support loved ones in prison is reduced, especially felt where the prison system does not provide adequate quantities of food or essentials like medicines, there are charges for phone calls, or high transport costs for visits.
6. The digital capacity of prisons across the globe continues to gain pace, albeit with growing disparity in digital maturity
More prison services are developing digital solutions in the areas of security and rehabilitation, including artificial intelligence and virtual reality, sometimes replacing staff functions. Research has found that key drivers to digitally mature prisons include solutions centred on need, cross-organisation strategies and partnerships, and testing and evaluating outcomes.
7. Virtual hearings and video calls are expanding at speed in all regions
Initially propelled by restrictions on movement during the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of virtual hearings has been retained as a new norm in many countries. This has sparked widespread concern about the right to a fair trial and unequal outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised groups.
8. There is a huge gap in providing state-funded legal aid for people in prison in many parts of the world
Generally, people in prison cannot access legal aid for matters beyond their criminal case, despite the high needs. Civil society frequently fills the gap by providing legal aid services and innovative solutions in all parts of the world such as paralegal, university law clinic and jailhouse lawyer programmes.
9. Benefits of non-custodial measures like probation are not matched by adequate resources to roll-out, expand and ensure successful implementation
Where non-custodial alternatives are available, they do not always lead to decreases in national prison populations, indicating net widening and implementation issues. More justice systems are looking to electronic monitoring systems, with challenges and varying impacts reported.
10. Global abolition of the death penalty continues, with some outliers
144 countries have either formally abolished the death penalty or do not practice it, but a small number of states executed at least 883 individuals in 2022, an increase of 53% from 2021. The number of executions for drug offences globally saw a ‘sharp deterioration’ with at least 285 drug-related executions recorded in 2022, a 118% increase from 2021.
11. Many sentencing reforms have brought longer sentences, including life imprisonment
With some exceptions, sentencing reforms result in longer sentences, including life imprisonment and longer minimum terms. There are an estimated half a million people serving formal life sentences, with an unknown number in prison under de facto or virtual life sentences which, although not referred to as a life sentence, result in imprisonment until their death.
12. More countries are turning their back on punitive drug policies which have led to an estimated 2.2 million people in prison for drug offences
63 jurisdictions in 36 countries have implemented an alternative approach through some form of decriminalisation. In international fora, there are indications of moves to a more balanced human-rights based approach to drug policies being accepted by an increasing number of nations.
13. Prison healthcare systems struggle with high rates of infectious diseases, mental health conditions, and more older people in their care
Data from 2022 show that people in prison are five times more likely to be living with HIV than in the community, but treatment is often lacking, and proven harm reduction measures remain piecemeal and inadequate. A worsening mental health crisis in prisons is exacerbated by a lack of mental healthcare staff in prisons, and specialised care for older or ill persons such as palliative and end of life care is rarely provided.
14. Lack of transparency on prison deaths inhibits targeted measures to prevent loss of life
New research has found a lack of data collection and transparency on the causes and demographics of prison deaths, which contributes to poor responses to deaths in prisons globally. Less than half of 25 countries surveyed by PRI in 2022 publish official information on deaths in prison, with data in many countries totally absent or highly unreliable.
15. Prisons remain hotbeds for violence including torture and ill-treatment, despite some efforts to prevent it
Reports show that torture and ill-treatment persist in many places with wholly inadequate responses to cases that come to light, and solitary confinement is excessively used, causing harm that can be irreparable. Positively, scrutiny of prisons is expanding with 77 countries having designated a National
Preventive Mechanism as an external monitoring mechanism, under OPCAT.
16. Violent and criminal subcultures in prisons constitute a key challenge to the majority of prison systems globally
Prison gangs retain control in prison facilities to varying degrees in a significant number of countries. Criminal subcultures in prisons are linked to violence, corruption and organised crime; factors contributing to their establishment and persistence include overcrowding, lack of access to basic necessities, inadequate staffing and absence of good governance.