Dominica

Total prison population:
260
Country
Dominica
Ministry responsible
Prime Minister's Office
Prison administration
Dominica Prison Service
Contact address

His Majesty's Prison, Stock Farm, Roseau
Dominica

Telephone
Head of prison administration
Jeffery Edmond, Acting Superintendent of Prison

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 260
at 13.3.2024 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 356
based on an estimated national population of 73,000 at March 2024 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 48.1%
(13.3.2024)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 1.2%
(13.3.2024)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 0.0%
(13.3.2024 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 9.6%
(13.3.2024)
Number of establishments / institutions 1
(2024 - Dominica State Prison)
Official capacity of prison system 300
(July 2015)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 73.0%
(July 2015)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
215 307
223 319
290 414
301 424
235 331
295 415
275 382
187 260
211 289
222 300

Prison population total

Prison population rate

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. 

                                                    DOMINICA

YearNumber in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment
Percentage
of total
prison population
Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)
2005
2011
2015
2020
 
58
60
50
98
 
20.1%
23.4%
22.8%
44.1%
 
82
84
68
132
 
202412548.1%171

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. 

                                                  DOMINICA

YearNumber of
female
prisoners
Percentage
of total
prison population
Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)
2005
2010
2015
2020
1
6
3
2
0.3%
2.1%
1.4%
0.9%
1.4
8.8
4.1
2.7
202431.2%4.1

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 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.

                                               DOMINICA

YearPrison
population
total
Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)
1933
1937
1945
1950
1954
1960
1965
1973
1982
1986
1990
1995
1999
36
45
67
66
72
72
59
166
146
182
196
216
298
-
-
-
129
133
120
91
231
195
249
276
304
426

 

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