Since 2000, the prison population in Southeast Asia has increased by 116% (compared to 36% across Asia and 24% globally). This has resulted in chronic levels of overcrowding in many countries, with occupancy rates over 200% in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.
One of the primary causes of prison overcrowding is that imprisonment remains the default response to offending in many countries in the region, and also at the pre-trial stage. Punitive drug policies continue to drive imprisonment rates up. Drug laws in the region typically criminalise drug use or possession for personal use, with mandatory pre-trial detention, court backlogs and inadequate access to release mechanisms meaning people spend years on remand awaiting trial.
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The Amsterdam Declaration issuing stark warning on prison crisis by civil society globally
Founding members of the Global Alliance of Civil Society on Prison Reform from 31 countries met in Amsterdam on 26-27 March 2026 to advance a shared vision to address the growing prison crisis impacting millions of people and societies across the world. Bringing together representatives of civil society including people with lived experience of imprisonment, […]
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Civil society convenes in Amsterdam to launch the Global Alliance of Civil Society on Prison Reform
This week, representatives from civil society from 31 countries are meeting in Amsterdam – alongside participants joining online – for the kick-off conference of a new Global Alliance of Civil Society on Prison Reform, convened by Penal Reform International (PRI). The initiative brings together a growing network of almost 90 civil society organisations on prison reform. The Alliance is being launched at a time of sustained pressure on justice systems globally. With more than […]
Annual Report
Annual report 2024
PRI’s Annual Report 2024 highlights our work worldwide, with evidence-based programmes advancing fair, effective and human rights-based criminal justice systems.
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