Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Cameroon
Cameroon: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 55.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Cameroon, 2003–2024
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 Cameroon is 55.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Cameroon peaked at 70.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 55.5%, in 2024.
That places Cameroon 20th out of 150 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 65.0% | — |
| 2008 | 60.7% | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 70.0% | +15.3% |
| 2015 | 55.8% | -20.3% |
| 2024 | 55.5% | -0.5% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 55.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.2%, 1.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 55.5% 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 | 62.9% | 60.7% | 65.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 62.9% | 55.8% | 70.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 55.5% | 55.5% | 55.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More social development data for Cameroon
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 408,613 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 140,366 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0047 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 140,366 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0137 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 Cameroon?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Cameroon was 55.5% 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 Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 70.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.5% in 2024.
- How does Cameroon rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Cameroon ranks 20th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon 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 — 5 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.