Cook Islands (New Zealand)

Total prison population:
28
Country
Cook Islands (New Zealand)
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Corrective Services
Prison administration
Cook Islands Prison Service
Contact address

P.O.Box 2174, Aroranga, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Cook Islands

Telephone
Fax
Head of prison administration
Henry Heather, Superintendent

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 28
at June 2024 (Minister for Corrective Services)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 156
based on an estimated national population of 18,000 at June 2024 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 14.6%
(June 2016)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 8.3%
(June 2016)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 3.1%
(June 2013 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 0.0%
(21.11.2011)
Number of establishments / institutions 1
(2016 - Arorangi prison, Rarotonga)
Official capacity of prison system 50
(21.11.2011)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 50.0%
(21.11.2011)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
23 128
24 133
27 142
26 130
40 200
34 162
37 176
48 229

Prison population total

Prison population rate

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. 

                                           COOK ISLANDS (NEW ZEALAND)

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2000
2005
2011

1
1
0

4.3%
3.7%
0%

5.6
5.3
0

2016

4

8.3%

19.0

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.)

Can you donate to support the WPB?

We receive no external funding for our work in sourcing and compiling prison populations data, hosting the WPB website and keeping it regularly updated with the most recent information available. To help sustain this unique, open access resource

Donation box