- Country
- Panama
- Ministry responsible
- Ministerio de Gobierno
- Prison administration
- Direccion General del Sistema Penitenciario
- Contact address
-
Edificios 37 and 38 Balboa, Apartado 1628, Zona 1
Panama - Telephone
- Head of prison administration
-
Walter Hernández, Director General
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
24,651
at 28.2.2026 (national prison administration)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
527
based on an estimated national population of 4.68 million at end of February 2026 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
35.3%
(28.2.2026)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
3.8%
(28.2.2026)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
0.0%
(December 2012 - under 18)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
7.0%
(2023)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
23
(2020)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
14,695
(28.2.2026)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
167.8%
(28.2.2026)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 8,652 | 283 | |
| 10,423 | 328 | |
| 11,400 | 345 | |
| 11,575 | 338 | |
| 9,651 | 272 | |
| 12,542 | 341 | |
| 14,468 | 380 | |
| 15,690 | 398 | |
| 16,583 | 407 | |
| 16,561 | 395 | |
| 17,967 | 416 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
- 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.
PANAMA
| 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 | 5,237 7,270 7,969 10,047 7,053 | 63.2% 62.8% 65.5% 59.7% 39.3% | 169 214 217 250 163 |
| 2026 | 8,693 | 35.3% | 186 |
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.
PANAMA
| 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 | 654 761 865 1,070 934 | 7.6% 6.6% 7.1% 6.4% 5.2% | 21.2 22.4 23.3 26.6 21.6 |
| 2026 | 938 | 3.8% | 20.0 |
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.
PANAMA
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1936 1971 1975 1981 1990 1995 2000 | 698 1,772 2,327 2,339 3,380 5,607 8,652 | 125 113 133 115 135 237 283 |
Can you donate to support the WPB?
We receive no external funding for our work in sourcing and compiling prison populations data, hosting the WPB website and keeping it regularly updated with the most recent information available. To help sustain this unique, open access resource
