Portugal

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CountryPortugal
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
General Directorate of Reintegration and Prisons (Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais - DGRSP)
Contact address
Travessa da Cruz do Torel, No. 1, 1150-122 LISBON Codex, Portugal
Telephone
+351 21 881 2200
Fax
+351 21 885 3653
Website
https://dgrsp.justica.gov.pt/
Head of prison administration (and title)
Rui Joao Abrunhosa de Carvalho Goncalves
Director General
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
12 379
at 1.11.2024 (national prison administration - includes 171 in psychiatric institutions)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
115
based on an estimated national population of 10.74 million at beginning of November 2024 (from Eurostat figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
22.3%
(1.11.2024)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
7.2%
(1.11.2024)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.2%
(1.1.2023 - minors)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
17.1%
(1.11.2024)
Number of establishments / institutions
49
(2015 - 17 central prisons, 4 special prisons, 27 regional prisons, 1 'Cadeia de Apoio')
Official capacity of prison system
12 608
(1.11.2024 - not including places in psychiatric institutions)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
96.8%
(1.11.2024 - not including prisoners in psychiatric institutions)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 12,944 126
2002 13,918 133
2004 13,152 125
2006 12,636 120
2008 10,807 102
2010 11,613 110
2012 13,614 130
2014 14,003 135
2016 13,779 134
2018 12,900 125
2020 11,424 111
2022 12,383 118
2000 12,944 126
2002 13,918 133
2004 13,152 125
2006 12,636 120
2008 10,807 102
2010 11,613 110
2012 13,614 130
2014 14,003 135
2016 13,779 134
2018 12,900 125
2020 11,424 111
2022 12,383 118
PDF

A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff. First edition. Portuguese Version

Core Publications
A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff
02/07/2002
Author: 
Andrew Coyle
Countries: 
Portugal
PDF icon portugese_handbook.pdf

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. 

                                                    PORTUGAL

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

3,854
3,044
2,307
2,316
2,282

29.8%
23.6%
19.9%
16.3%
20.0%

38
29
22
22
22

2024

2,765

22.3%

26

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.

                                                      PORTUGAL

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

1,216
875
627
862
774

9.4%
6.8%
5.4%
6.1%
6.9%

11.9
8.3
5.9
8.4
7.5

2024

885

7.2%

8.2

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