CountrySpain
Ministry responsible
Ministry of the Interior (in Catalonia: Department of Justice)
Prison administration
General Directorate of Prison Administration (in Catalonia: General Directorate of Prison Regime and Resources)
Contact address
Calle Alcala 38-40, E-28014 Madrid (Catalonia: Carrer Arago 332, 08009 Barcelona)
Telephone
+34 91 335 47 00 (Catalonia: +34 93 214 01 00)
Fax
+34 91 335 40 64 (Catalonia: +34 93 214 01 79)
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Ángel Luis Ortiz González (in Catalonia: Amand Calderó i Montfort )
Director General (in Catalonia: Director General)
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
56 698
at 31.12.2023 (Ministry of the Interior)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
117
based on an estimated national population of 48.61 million at end of December 2023 (from Eurostat figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
17.5%
(31.12.2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
7.1%
(31.12.2023)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.0%
(31.12.2023)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
31.2%
(31.12.2023)
Number of establishments / institutions
82
(2018 - 69 central prisons, 13 social integration centres)
Official capacity of prison system
73 152
(1.1.2023)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
74.1%
(1.1.2023)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 45,309 113
2002 50,537 122
2004 58,655 137
2006 63,248 142
2008 70,465 153
2010 76,701 165
2012 70,695 151
2014 66,857 144
2016 61,526 133
2018 59,694 128
2020 55,574 117
2022 55,095 116
2000 45,309 113
2002 50,537 122
2004 58,655 137
2006 63,248 142
2008 70,465 153
2010 76,701 165
2012 70,695 151
2014 66,857 144
2016 61,526 133
2018 59,694 128
2020 55,574 117
2022 55,095 116
PDF

The Spanish Prison System

Report
02/04/2011
Author: 
Secretariat General de Instituciones Penitenciarias
Countries: 

Pages

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. 

                                                      SPAIN

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

9,084
13,988
14,980
8,114
9,403

20.2%
22.8%
19.7%
12.6%
17.0%

23
32
32
17
20

2023

9,908

17.5%

20

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.

                                                      SPAIN

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

3,668
4,744
6,009
4,926
4,015

8.1%
7.7%
7.9%
7.7%
7.3%

9.1
10.9
13.0
10.6
8.5

2023

4,000

7.1%

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