- Country
- Jamaica
- Ministry responsible
- Ministry of National Security and Justice
- Prison administration
- Department of Correctional Services
- Contact address
-
5-7 King Street, Kingston
Jamaica - Telephone
- Website
- Head of prison administration
-
Lt. Col. (Retired) Gary Rowe, Commissioner of Correctional Services
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
3,720
at 31.12.23 (national prison administration)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
124
based on an estimated national population of 3.0 million at end of December 2023 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
22.5%
(31.8.2021)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
4.0%
(31.8.2021)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
4.7%
(31.12.23 - under 18)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
1.0%
(2023)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
11
(2021 - 7 prisons for adults, 4 for juveniles)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
4,276
(31.8.2021)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
87.0%
(31.8.2021)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4,744 | 178 | |
| 4,825 | 180 | |
| 4,709 | 174 | |
| 5,163 | 188 | |
| 4,457 | 161 | |
| 4,112 | 148 | |
| 3,860 | 138 | |
| 3,884 | 137 | |
| 3,719 | 130 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
- 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.
JAMAICA
| Year | Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment | Percentage of total prison population | Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2003 2005 2007 2009 2015 | 547 800 705 588 806 | 11.5% 16.6% 15.0% 11.4% 20.9% | 21 30 26 22 29 |
| 2021 | 838 | 22.5% | 29 |
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.
JAMAICA
| Year | Number of female prisoners | Percentage of total prison population | Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2003 2007 2011 2015 | 371 245 285 166 | 7.8% 5.2% 6.4% 4.3% | 14.0 9.0 10.3 5.9 |
| 2021 | 147 | 4.0% | 5.2 |
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 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.
JAMAICA
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1920 1925 1930 1935 1938 1945 1950 1955 1960 1972 1974 1982 1986 1990 1995 1999 | 1,819 1,442 1,253 1,161 1,186 1,737 2,410 2,490 2,144 2,330 2,311 3,254 3,524 3,022 4,193* 4,288* | - - - - - - 172 162 132 120 117 147 151 126 168* 166* |
*including estimated number in police stations
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