Vanuatu

Total prison population:
230
Country
Vanuatu
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice and Community Services
Prison administration
Vanuatu Correctional Services
Contact address

Rue De Pasteur, P.O. Box 3082, Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu
Vanuatu

Telephone
Fax
Head of prison administration
Johnny J Marango, Director

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 230
at mid-2024 (via Asian & Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 68
based on an estimated national population of 337,000 at mid-2024 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 16.1%
(mid-2024)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 0.0%
(mid-2024)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 0.5%
(September 2016 - under 16)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 2.5%
(mid-2018)
Number of establishments / institutions 4
(2015)
Official capacity of prison system 180
(September 2016)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 106.7%
(September 2016)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
46 25
96 49
138 66
123 56
170 74
194 75
151 58
192 71
202 72
253 86

Prison population total

Prison population rate

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. 

                                                VANUATU

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

1999
2002
2005
2010
2014

9
6
26
40
23

19.6%
6.25%
18.8%
21.4%
15.2%

5
3
12
17
9

2025

37

16.1%

11

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. 

                                                   VANUATU

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

1999
2005
2010
2016

1
6
3
2

2.2%
4.3%
1.6%
1.0%

0.6
2.9
1.3
0.7

2024

0

0%

0

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.

                                              VANUATU

Year

Prison
population
total

Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

1992
1995
1999

65
89
46

42
53
25

 

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