Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin
Benin: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 55.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin, 2002–2024
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin is 55.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is down 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin peaked at 79.6% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 55.0%, in 2023.
That places Benin 21st out of 150 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 74.0% | — |
| 2007 | 79.6% | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 74.9% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 75.8% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 55.0% | -27.4% |
| 2024 | 55.0% | +0.0% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 55.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.2%, 1.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Benin's 55.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.0%, 1.6× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 76.8% | 74.0% | 79.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 75.3% | 74.9% | 75.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 55.0% | 55.0% | 55.0% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More social development data for Benin
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,974 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,279 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,279 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Benin was 55.0% in 2024, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 79.6% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.0% in 2023.
- How does Benin rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Benin ranks 21st out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners as a percentage of the total prison population.