Greece

Total prison population:
10,203
Country
Greece
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights
Prison administration
Anticriminal and Penitentiary Policy General Directorate
Contact address

96 Avenue Messogion, GR-11527 ATHENS, Greece
Greece

Telephone
Head of prison administration
Ioannis Stalikas, General Director of Anticriminal and Penitentiary Policy

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 10,203
at 31.1.2024 (via Council of Europe)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 98
based on an estimated national population of 10.40 million at end of January 2024 (from Eurostat figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 27.6%
(31.1.2024)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 4.9%
(31.1.2024)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 0.3%
(31.1.2024 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 54.1%
(31.1.2024)
Number of establishments / institutions 34
(July 2021)
Official capacity of prison system 10,775
(31.1.2024)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 94.7%
(31.1.2024)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
7,625 70
8,507 78
8,726 79
9,964 90
11,645 104
11,364 102
12,479 113
12,693 116
9,611 89
10,011 93
10,891 102

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. 

                                                      GREECE

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
2020

2,217
2,481
3,541
2,470
2,892

29.1%
28.4%
31.2%
20.9%
26.6%

20
22
31
23
29

2024

2,817

27.6%

27

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.

                                                     GREECE

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

358
594
554
572
490

4.7%
6.8%
4.9%
4.8%
4.5%

3.3
5.4
5.0
5.3
4.6

2024

500

4.9%

4.8

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.

                                              GREECE

Year

Prison
population
total

Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

1936
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000

10,211
5,536
3,476
3,304
2,963
3,191
3,483
5,270
5,891
7,625

147
66
41
38
33
33
35
52
55
70

 

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