CountryPeru
Ministry responsible
Ministerio de Justicia
Prison administration
Instituto Nacional Penitenciario - INPE
Contact address
Calle Jirón Carabaya 456, Lima, Peru
Telephone
+51 1 426 1578 / 427 0492
Fax
+51 1 427 0624
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Susana Silva Hasembank
Presidente del Consejo Nacional Penitenciario del INPE
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
94 502
at 31.10.2023 (national prison administration)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
277
based on an estimated national population of 34.06 million at end of October 2023 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
36.9%
(31.10.2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
5.2%
(31.10.2023)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.0%
(31.10.2023 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
4.7%
(31.10.2023)
Number of establishments / institutions
69
(2021)
Official capacity of prison system
41 019
(31.10.2023)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
230.4%
(31.10.2023)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 27,734 107
2002 27,417 103
2004 31,311 114
2006 35,835 128
2008 43,286 151
2010 45,464 155
2012 58,019 192
2014 70,276 227
2016 79,644 251
2018 87,995 270
2020 92,195 277
2000 27,734 107
2002 27,417 103
2004 31,311 114
2006 35,835 128
2008 43,286 151
2010 45,464 155
2012 58,019 192
2014 70,276 227
2016 79,644 251
2018 87,995 270
2020 92,195 277

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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. 

                                                   PERU

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2001
2005
2010
2015

15,477
23,384
27,201
39,439

57.3%
69.5%
58.9%
51.1%

59
84
92
126

2023

34,908

36.9%

102

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.

                                                        PERU

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2001
2005
2010
2011
2013
2015

2,054
2,363
2,780
3,201
4,237
4,545

7.6%
7.0%
6.0%
6.1%
6.3%
5.9%

7.8
8.4
9.4
10.7
13.9
14.5

2023

4,897

5.2%

14.4

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