CountryFiji
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Fiji Prisons and Corrections Services
Contact address
Level 2, Civic House, P.O.Box 114, Suva, Fiji
Telephone
+679 330 3512
Fax
+679 330 2523
Website
Email
info@corrections.gov.fj
Head of prison administration (and title)
Salote Panapasa
Acting Commissioner
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
2 276
at January 2024 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
248
based on an estimated national population of 919,500 at January 2024 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
19.9%
(January 2021)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.5%
(July 2016)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.7%
(September 2013 - juveniles)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
1.2%
(mid-2014)
Number of establishments / institutions
15
(2019)
Official capacity of prison system
2 200
(January 2024)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
103.5%
(January 2024)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 1,185 146
2002 897 110
2004 1,083 132
2006 1,121 135
2008 919 109
2010 1,097 127
2012 1,397 160
2014 1,540 174
2016 1,889 210
2018 2,643 291
2020 2,550 276
2000 1,185 146
2002 897 110
2004 1,083 132
2006 1,121 135
2008 919 109
2010 1,097 127
2012 1,397 160
2014 1,540 174
2016 1,889 210
2018 2,643 291
2020 2,550 276

Pages

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                            FIJI

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015

63
95
305
426

5.3%
8.5%
27.8%
26.7%

8
12
35
48

2021

474

19.9%

51

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.                                                      

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                          FIJI

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2013

17
23
32
58

1.4%
2.1%
2.9%
3.7%

2.1
2.8
3.7
6.6

2016

46

2.5%

5.1

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.  

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate