Barbados

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CountryBarbados
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Home Affairs
Prison administration
Her Majesty's Prisons Dodds, St. Philip, Barbados
Telephone
+1 246 535 7300
Website
Email
info@prisonservice.gov.bb
Head of prison administration (and title)
Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse
Superintendent
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
743
at December 2022 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
258
based on an estimated national population of 288,000 at December 2022 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
54.7%
(31.12.2018)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
3.4%
(December 2022)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
5.9%
31.12.2016 - under 20)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
13.8%
(31.12.2016)
Number of establishments / institutions
1
(2022 - H.M.Prisons Dodds)
Official capacity of prison system
1 250
(July 2022)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
61.5%
(July 2022)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 1,411 527
2003 992 366
2005 997 365
2007 1,010 365
2008 1,046 376
2010 910 322
2012 1,045 368
2014 853 299
2016 913 319
2018 850 296
2000 1,411 527
2003 992 366
2005 997 365
2007 1,010 365
2008 1,046 376
2010 910 322
2012 1,045 368
2014 853 299
2016 913 319
2018 850 296

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. 

                                                   BARBADOS

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2000
2007
2010
2015

502
308
357
453

35.6%
29.6%
39.2%
48.9%

188
112
127
158

2018

465

54.7%

162

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.

                                                   BARBADOS

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2001
2007
2010
2015
2018

39
49
45
33
23

4.7%
4.7%
4.9%
3.6%
2.6%

14.5
17.8
16.0
11.5
8.0

2022

25

3.4%

8.7

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