Country | Poland |
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Ministry responsible |
Ministry of Justice (Ministerstwo Sprawiedliwosci)
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Prison administration |
Central Board of Prison Service (Centralny Zarząd Służby Więziennej)
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Contact address |
Ul. Rakowiecka 37A, PL-02-521 WARSAW, Poland
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Telephone |
+48 22 640 8651
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Fax |
+48 22 848 8081
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Website | |
bdg@sw.gov.pl
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Head of prison administration (and title) | (Gen.) Jacek Kitlinski
Director General
|
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) | 70 418
at 31.10.2024 (national prison administration)
|
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Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) | 193
based on an estimated national population of 36.51 million at end of October 2024 (from Eurostat figures)
|
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 11.5%
(31.10.2024)
|
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 5.3%
(31.10.2024)
|
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | 1.3%
(31.1.2023 - minors)
|
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 3.6%
(31.10.2024)
|
Number of establishments / institutions | 215
(2011 - 70 institutions for pre-trial detainees and 87 prisons; also 14 hospitals and 44 other units associated with the 157 main institutions)
|
Official capacity of prison system | 83 212
(31.10.2024)
|
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) | 84.5%
(31.10.2024)
|
Prison population trend (year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
|
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Poland to open first ‘Scandinavian-style’ women’s prison, prioritizing rehab over punishment
Polish gov’t eyes early-release for 20,000 prisoners, cites overcrowded prisons
Polish jails throw open their doors for a day
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) visit reports: Poland
US State Department Human Rights Country Report 2013: Poland
Judicial systems in Member States - Poland
Prison Conditions in Poland
The ombudsman’s role in ensuring the protection of the rights of detainees in Poland
Pages
- 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.
POLAND
Year | Number in | Percentage | Pre-trial/remand |
2000 | 22,032 | 31.2% | 58 |
2024 | 8,075 | 11.5% | 22 |
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.
POLAND
Year | Number of | Percentage | Female prison |
2000 | 1,729 | 2.5% | 4.5 |
2024 | 3,745 | 5.3% | 10.3 |
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.
POLAND
Year |
Prison |
Prison population rate |
1936 |
58,606 |
173 |