- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Ministry responsible
- Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms
- Prison administration
- Department of Prisons
- Contact address
-
150 Baseline Road, Colombo-9
Sri Lanka - Telephone
- Fax
- Website
- Head of prison administration
-
Nishan Dhanasinghe, Acting Commissioner General of Prisons
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
38,251
at 12.4.2026 (national prison administration)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
175
based on an estimated national population of 21.83 million at April 2026 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
73.3%
(12.4.2026)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
4.9%
(12.4.2026)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
0.1%
(15.10.2013 - under 18)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
1.4%
(mid-2018)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
60
(2020 - 4 prisons, 18 remand prisons, 10 work camps, 2 open prison camps, 2 correctional centres for young offenders, 1 training centre for young offenders, 23 lock-ups)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
13,241
(August 2023)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
215.6%
(August 2023)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 16,412 | 87 | |
| 17,905 | 93 | |
| 20,661 | 105 | |
| 22,867 | 114 | |
| 26,124 | 128 | |
| 26,984 | 130 | |
| 23,603 | 112 | |
| 19,108 | 89 | |
| 17,478 | 83 | |
| 20,384 | 96 | |
| 25,991 | 121 | |
| 21,979 | 102 |
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.
SRI LANKA
| 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 | 8,245 11,216 13,890 9,062 17,256 | 50.2% 50.7% 51.5% 47.6% 66.4% | 44 57 67 42 81 |
| 2026 | 28,027 | 73.3% | 128 |
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.
SRI LANKA
| 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 | 662 906 1,254 879 916 | 3.9% 3.8% 4.7% 4.6% 7.3% | 3.5 4.5 6.0 4.1 4.3 |
| 2026 | 1,892 | 4.9% | 8.7 |
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.
SRI LANKA (formerly Ceylon)
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1920 1925 1930 1935 1938 1972 1974 1986 1990 1994 1997 2000 | 4,545 3,660 3,716 4,083 4,057 8,309 12,825 11,451 10,093 10,831 12,739 16,412 | - - - - - 63 96 70 58 60 69 87 |
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