Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia
Colombia: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 19.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia, 2000–2025
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 19.1% for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia peaked at 39.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 19.1%, in 2025.
Colombia ranks 124th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 39.4% | — |
| 2005 | 38.5% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 30.7% | -20.3% |
| 2015 | 35.5% | +15.6% |
| 2020 | 23.3% | -34.4% |
| 2025 | 19.1% | -18.0% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 19.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31.7%, 60% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 19.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.4%, 52% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.0% | 38.5% | 39.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 33.1% | 30.7% | 35.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 21.2% | 19.1% | 23.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More social development data for Colombia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,464 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (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 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Colombia was 19.1% in 2025, 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 39.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.1% in 2025.
- How does Colombia rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Colombia ranks 124th out of 150 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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.