Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil
Brazil: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 23.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil, 2000–2024
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil stood at 23.6%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 37.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil peaked at 37.5% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 23.6%, in 2024.
Brazil ranks 100th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 34.7% | — |
| 2005 | 34.4% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 36.9% | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 37.5% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 29.5% | -21.3% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | -20.0% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 23.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31.7%, 74% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 23.6% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.4%, 65% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.5% | 34.4% | 34.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 37.2% | 36.9% | 37.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 26.6% | 23.6% | 29.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More social development data for Brazil
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 278,966 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,306 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,306 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 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 Brazil?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Brazil was 23.6% 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 Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 37.5% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6% in 2024.
- How does Brazil rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Brazil ranks 100th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Brazil 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.