In July 2025, the prisoner population of England and Wales stood at around 87,966 while the operating capacity of prisons was almost 89,373.

The Retén el Marite had a total of over 710 inmates, while the capacity of around 200, which makes the most overpopulated in Venezuela. Internado Judicial Región Capital Rodeo III was the prison with the prison with the highest number of prisoners.

In 2011, a historic Supreme Court decision mandated that the state of California substantially reduce its prison population to alleviate overcrowding, which was deemed so severe as to preclude the provision of adequate healthcare. To comply, California passed the Public Safety Realignment Act (Assembly Bill [AB] 109), representing the largest ever court-ordered reduction of a prison population in U.S. history. AB109 was successful in reducing the state prison population; however, although the policy was precipitated by inadequate healthcare in state prisons, no studies have examined its effects on prisoner health. As other states grapple with overcrowded prisons and look to California’s experience with this landmark policy, understanding how it may have impacted prisoner health is critical. We sought to evaluate the effects of AB109 on prison mortality and assess the extent to which policy-induced changes in the age distribution of prisoners may have contributed to these effects. To do so, we used prison mortality data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the California Deaths in Custody reporting program and prison population data from the National Corrections Reporting Program to examine changes in overall prison mortality, the age distribution of prisoners, and age-adjusted prison mortality in California relative to other states before and after the implementation of AB109. Following AB109, California prisons experienced an increase in overall mortality relative to other states that attenuated within three years. Over the same period, California experienced a greater upward shift in the age distribution of its prisoners relative to other states, suggesting that the state’s increase in overall mortality may have been driven by this change in age distribution. Indeed, when accounting for this differential change in age distribution, mortality among California prisoners exhibited a greater reduction relative to other states in the third year after implementation. As other states seek to reduce their prison populations to address overcrowding, assessments of California’s experience with AB109 should consider this potential improvement in age-adjusted mortality.

This census is the seventh enumeration of state adult correctional institutions and the fourth of federal institutions sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Earlier censuses were completed in 1979 (ICPSR 7852), 1984 (ICPSR 8444), 1990 (ICPSR 9908), 1995 (ICPSR 6953), and 2000 (ICPSR 4021). For each facility, information was provided on physical security, age, functions, capacity, court orders for specific conditions, one-day counts and average populations, race/ethnicity of inmates, inmate work assignments, inmate deaths, special inmate counts, assaults, and incidents caused by inmates.

Haiti had a 302 percent prison occupancy rate in 2024, being the country with the most overcrowded prison system in the Caribbean. Grenada followed at a 266.7 percent. Barbados had the lowest rate, at 61.5 percent. On the other hand, Cuba was the country with the highest prison population rate in the Caribbean and Haiti with the lowest as of 2022.

This report documents and examines the process of de congestion of prisons across India by assessing the functioning of High Powered Committees (HPC), Undertrial Review Committees (UTRC) and legal aid functionaries. It has vital data on prison population rates as well as a comparative on both pre and post COVID-19 induced lockdown. This data helps in understanding the impact on prison overcrowding as well as predicting future overcrowding rates with High Courts cancelling interim bail and paroles of prisoners across the country. As such this information would be vital for journalists, grassroots organizations as well as other stakeholders to highlight related concerns in their states/region of work.

As of May 2025, the Republic of Congo recorded the world’s highest prison occupancy rate, operating at approximately 616.9 percent of its official capacity. Cambodia followed with an occupancy rate of 409.1 percent.

This census is the sixth enumeration of state adult correctional institutions and the third of federal institutions sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Earlier censuses were completed in 1974 (ICPSR 7811), 1979 (ICPSR 7852), 1984 (ICPSR 8444), 1990 (ICPSR 9908), and 1995 (ICPSR 6953). For each facility, information was provided on physical security, age, functions, capacity, court orders for specific conditions, one-day counts and average populations, race/ethnicity of inmates, inmate work assignments, inmate deaths, special inmate counts, assaults, and incidents caused by inmates.

The current jail population control study is the second phase of a two-part inquiry by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania that began in 2003. Phase II builds upon the findings of the initial survey by using a number of information sources to obtain data with which to examine in greater detail the reasons and remedies for jail overcrowding. The Phase II study was implemented in September 2004 and was designed to examine jail population control data from four sources: Pennsylvania Statewide Jail Survey (Part 1), Intensive Site Visits to selected Pennsylvania Counties (Part 2), National Association of Counties (NACo) Best Practices Survey, and National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Technical Assistance reports. The Pennsylvania Statewide Survey (Part 1, Pennsylvania Statewide Survey Quantitative Data) was sent to all counties operating their own jails in September 2004. Surveys were mailed to 63 of the state's 67 counties. Counties were selected for intensive site visits (Part 2, Intensive Site Visit Qualitative Data) based largely on the results of the Phase I survey and focused on counties with the most extreme crowding problems and/or expressing interest in tackling population control issues. Visits were made to 14 of the state's 67 counties between September 2004 and May 2005. Part 1 includes variables on jail capacity and population, construction, population control measures, potential change targets, and transportation issues. Part 2 includes background to the site visit, site visit agenda and aims, and an exploration of population control options.

In 2022, there were roughly 109 prisoners held in facilities in Italy every 100 available places. Between 2014 and 2019, prison overcrowding in Italy grew constantly. In 2020, it decreased by about 15 percentage points. Indeed, the number of detainees in 2020 experienced a decrease. During the coronavirus crisis, some prisoners were released under supervision in order to reduce overcrowding and thus the risk of infections.

As of July 2023, the number of prisoners in Italy was 57,749 inmates. Between 2000 and 2019, Italy's prison population increased, while it experienced a decrease in 2020 and 2021. In 2010, the population of prisoners in custody reached its peak at 68,000 inmates, whereas by the end of 2019, the number of inmates amounted to 60,800 individuals. During the coronavirus emergency, Italy adopted a decree for the supervised release of certain prisoners in order to reduce overcrowding. Thus, the number of detainees in the last year experienced a decrease.

Demography of incarcerated population

Among prisoners, two groups stand out for age and educational level. Data related to the age of people in jail show that individuals between 50 and 59 years old made up the largest group of the prison population (ten thousand inmates). Furthermore, a glance at their educational background reveals that 19 thousand individuals held a lower secondary school degree. Both groups represented a significant part of the incarcerated population.

Overcrowded prisons and tough conditions

Prison overcrowding is a worldwide phenomenon. Prison systems in more than one hundred countries operate at over double their capacities. Likewise, several prisons in Italy hold more prisoners than the facilities can accommodate. In 2019, a jail in the South Italian region Molise was rated the most overcrowded prison in the country, which was occupied at 195 percent of designed prison capacity. In addition to overcrowding, a further problem of the Italian prison system concerns the tough conditions for mafia prisoners. In October 2019, the European court of human rights (ECHR) ruled that the Italian prison system for mafia inmates must be reviewed, as the conditions in which they are serving their life term sentence violate their human rights.

These data were collected in the Illinois prison system where, in response to a prison overcrowding crisis, approximately two-thirds of the inmates released by the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) were discharged prior to serving their expected sentences. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of an early release program on prisoners, prison populations, offense rates, local criminal justice systems, and the general public. The files contain extensive Federal Bureau of Investigation arrest history information and other personal and social indicators describing inmates released from the state prison system. Data are available for three comparison groups: (1) a sample of prisoners who served their regular sentences prior to the "forced release" program, (2) a group that served regular sentences after implementation of the program, and (3) a group of inmates who were released early under the program (i.e., before serving their full sentences). The "inmate jacket file," which is the comprehensive institutional file maintained for all inmates, contains variables for each inmate on social and personal characteristics, criminal history, risk scales, court decisions for each offense, institutional conduct, prior release and return records, method of release, condition of supervision, and parole violation records. The arrest file includes variables that describe the type and number of charges at arrest, case disposition of each charge, probation length, incarceration length, admission and release dates, and release type.

In 2024, there were 87,869 men and 3,635 women in prisons in England and Wales. Compared with the previous year, this represented an increase for both men and women. This represented a peak in the number of prisoners during this provided time period, and was also the peak for the United Kingdom as a whole.
Demographics of prisoners There were 29,339 prisoners in their 30s in England and Wales in 2024, the most of any age group. In this year, there were also 3,354 prisoners who were aged between 15 and 20, with a further 21,381 prisoners who were in their 20s. In terms of the ethnicity of prisoners in England and Wales, 63,103 people in jail were White, 10,624 were Black, and 7,067were Asian. As of the same year, the most common religious faith of prisoners was Christianity, at 39,068 inmates, followed by 27,122 who identified as having no religion, with a further 15,909 who were Muslims. Increase in prison officers since 2017 The 23,614 prison officers working in England and Wales in 2024 was almost as high as 2011 when there were 24,369 officers. From 2010 onwards, the number of prison officers fell from 24,830 to 18,251 by 2014, and stayed at comparably low levels until 2018. Low government expenditure on Prisons during the same time period suggests this was a result of the austerity policies implemented by the UK government at that time. The government has steadily increased spending on prisons since 2019/20, with spending on prisons reaching 6.09 billion in 2022/23. This has however not been enough to avert a possible overcrowding crisis in England and Wales, which had just 768 spare prison places in September 2023.

This census is the fifth enumeration of state adult correctional institutions and the second of federal institutions sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Earlier censuses were completed in 1974 (ICPSR 7811), 1979 (ICPSR 7852), 1984 (ICPSR 8444), and 1990 (ICPSR 9908). Unlike the previous censuses, all respondents in 1995 were sent the same survey form. For each facility, information was provided on physical security, age, functions, capacity, court orders for specific conditions, one-day counts and average populations, race/ethnicity of inmates, inmate work assignments, inmate deaths, special inmate counts, assaults, and incidents caused by inmates.

The 2012 Census of State and Federal Correctional Facilities (CSFCF) was the eighth enumeration of state institutions and the fifth enumeration of federal institutions sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and its predecessors. Earlier censuses were conducted in 1974, 1979 (ICPSR 7852), 1984 (ICPSR 8444), 1990 (ICPSR 9908), 1995 (ICPSR 6953), 2000 (ICPSR 4021), and 2005 (ICPSR 24642). For each facility in the 2012 census, information was provided on security level, facility operator, sex of inmates housed, one-day counts by sex, percentage of inmates authorized to leave the facility, and anticipated changes to or closures of the facility. The census counted prisoners held in the facilities, a custody count. Some inmates in custody in one jurisdiction may be held for a different jurisdiction. The custody count is distinct from a count of inmates under a correctional authority's jurisdiction, which includes all inmates over whom a correctional authority exercises control, regardless of where the inmate is housed. A jurisdictional count is more inclusive than a prison custody count and includes state and federal prisoners housed in local jails or other non-correctional facilities.

In 2021, the prison of Taranto, located in the South Italian region Apulia, was the most overcrowded facility in Italy. The prison was occupied at 196.4 percent of its capacity. Furthermore, the second most overcrowded prison in the country was situated in Brescia, in Lombardy. Its occupancy level stood at about 192 percent.

In 2025, Haiti had a 302 percent level of occupancy in their prison system, being the country with the highest occupancy rate in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was followed by Guatemala, with almost a 300 percent occupancy rate. Among the top 11 countries with the most overcrowded national prison system, El Salvador had the lowest rate, at 162.8 percent. Regarding prison population, El Salvador and Cuba were the Latin American and Caribbean countries that had the largest rates, both with over 500 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants.

Adult correctional services, custodial and community supervision, average counts of adults in provincial and territorial programs, five years of data.

The purpose of this survey was to obtain information on the characteristics of persons confined to prison and the circumstances and conditions of their confinement. The survey focuses on topics and issues that are of current and continuing concern to the correctional community and researchers. Information in the survey includes prison conditions such as staffing, space, and overcrowding, inmate rights and privileges, and rules and regulations concerning prison operation and inmate behavior. Additional data are provided on the presence of educational and vocational programs, drug and alcohol programs, medical treatment, and health care.