| Country | Brazil |
|---|
| Ministry responsible |
Ministry of Justice
|
|---|---|
| Prison administration |
Departamento Penitenciario Nacional (DEPEN)
|
| Contact address |
Norte Comercial Sector, Quadra 3, Victória Building - Asa Norte, Brasília - DF, 70713-020
|
| Telephone |
+55 21 61 2025 3987
|
| Fax |
+55 21 61 3429 9347
|
| Website | |
|
depen@mj.gov.br
| |
| Head of prison administration (and title) | Fabiano Bordignon
Director General (Diretor Geral)
|
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) | 909 067
at 31.12.2024 (national prison administration - 670,265 in state and federal prisons, 3,751 in ‘other prisons’ (e.g. police lockups, civil defence or other custody), 235,051 under house arrest.)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) | 416
based on an estimated national population of 218.47 million at end of December 2024 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 23.6%
(31.12.2024)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 5.9%
(31.12.2024)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | 0.0%
(31.12.2024 - under 18)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 0.3%
(in state and federal prisons, 31.12.2024)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions | 1 387
(December 2024)
|
| Official capacity of prison system | 494 379
(31.12.2024 - state and federal prisons)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) | 135.6%
(31.12.2024 - state and federal prisons)
|
| Prison population trend (year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
|
|---|
Brazil’s Supreme Court decriminalizes possession of marijuana for personal use
Brazil Records 17,000 Deaths in Prisons Over the Last 10 Years
Brazil Toughens Conditions in Maximum Security Prisons
On parole, foreign ex-convicts battle to survive in Brazil
Brazil Court Rules to Compensate Prisoner for Overcrowding
Pages
De Informações Penitenciárias Infopen - Dezembro 2014
US State Department Human Rights Country Report 2013: Brazil
- Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
- Female prison population: trend
- Prison population trend up to 2000
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.
BRAZIL
Year | Number in | Percentage | Pre-trial/remand |
2000 | 80,775 | 34.7% | 46 |
2024 | 214,447 | 23.6% | 98 |
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.
BRAZIL
Year | Number of | Percentage | Female prison |
2000 | 10,112 | 4.3% | 5.8 |
2024 | 53,880 | 5.9% | 24.7 |
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 trend up to 2000
The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.
BRAZIL
|
Year |
Prison |
Prison population rate |
|
1906 |
3,154* |
15* |
* Convicted prisoners only