Country | Sierra Leone |
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Ministry responsible |
Ministry of Internal Affairs, Local Government and Community Development
|
---|---|
Prison administration |
Sierra Leone Correctional Service
|
Contact address |
Headquarters, Jomo Kenyatta Road, New England Ville, Freetown, Sierra Leone
|
Telephone |
+232-78-134-309
|
Website | |
info@slcs.sl
| |
Head of prison administration (and title) | Ahmed Turay
Director General
|
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) | 4 453
at 13.2.2024 (national prison administration)
|
---|---|
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) | 52
based on an estimated national population of 8.58 million at February 2024 (from United Nations figures)
|
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 51.1%
(13.2.2024)
|
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 3.5%
(13.2.2024)
|
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | 0.0%
(11.9.2018 - under 18)
|
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 0.4%
(13.2.2024)
|
Number of establishments / institutions | 21
(2023)
|
Official capacity of prison system | 2 495
(13.2.2024)
|
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) | 178.5%
(13.2.2024)
|
Prison population trend (year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
|
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Sierra Leone: Prison Reforms Bring No Relief
Sierra Leone: New Project to Boost Fair Sentencing and Reduce Detentions
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Sierra Leone: Prison Watch Bemoans Lack of Vehicles to Take Inmates to Court
How Paralegals Delivered Access to Justice in the Jails of Sierra Leone
Pages
Innovative Efforts, Proven Results: How Timap for Justice Provides Legal Aid in Sierra Leone
US State Department Human Rights Country Report 2013: Sierra Leone
The Socioeconomic Impact of Pretrial Detention in Sierra Leone: Behind Bars but not Beyond Justice
Study of children and juveniles in detention in Sierra Leone
Prison Watch Sierra Leone
Timap for Justice
- 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.
SIERRA LEONE
Year | Number in | Percentage | Pre-trial/remand |
2005 | 696 | 40.0% | 14 |
2024 | 2,277 | 51.1% | 27 |
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.
SIERRA LEONE
Year | Number of | Percentage | Female prison |
2007 | 66 | 3.3% | 1.2 |
2024 | 156 | 3.5% | 1.8 |
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.
SIERRA LEONE
Year | Prison population total |
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
1920 1930 1938 1952 |
435 418 361 600 |
- - - 29 |