Paraguay

Donate to WPB
CountryParaguay
Ministry responsible
Ministerio de Justicia y Trabajo
Prison administration
Direccion General de Establecimientos Penitenciarios y Ejecucion Penal
Telephone
+595 21 451245
Fax
+595 21 451246
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Víctor Ramón Servían Ríos
Director General
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
17 712
at October 2023 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
239
based on an estimated national population of 7.42 million at October 2023 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
67.0%
(31.5.2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
5.2%
(31.5.2023)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
1.2%
(October 2023 - ‘adolescentes’)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
4.2%
(31.12.2014)
Number of establishments / institutions
18
(2023)
Official capacity of prison system
10 323
(October 2023)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
171.6%
(October 2023)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 3,219 60
2002 4,621 83
2004 6,101 106
2006 6,037 102
2008 5,867 96
2010 6,197 99
2012 7,916 123
2014 10,450 158
2016 13,181 195
2018 14,696 212
2020 13,821 194
2000 3,219 60
2002 4,621 83
2004 6,101 106
2006 6,037 102
2008 5,867 96
2010 6,197 99
2012 7,916 123
2014 10,450 158
2016 13,181 195
2018 14,696 212
2020 13,821 194

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. 

                                                  PARAGUAY

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

1999
2005
2010
2015
2020

3,791
4,548
4,890
9,926
c. 9,813

92.7%
72.4%
78.9%
77.0%
c. 71.0%

72
76
78
149
c. 138

2023

11,397

67.0%

156

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.

                                                   PARAGUAY

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

1999
2005
2010
2015
2020

207
265
328
826
742

5.1%
4.2%
5.3%
6.4%
5.4%

4.0
4.4
5.0
12.4
10.4

2023

878

5.2%

12.0

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 total
Prison population rate