Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 17.5% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Costa Rica, 2002–2023
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 Costa Rica is 17.5%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Costa Rica peaked at 29.4% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 16.9%, in 2020.
Costa Rica ranks 130th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 24.0% | — |
| 2005 | 29.4% | +22.5% |
| 2010 | 23.5% | -20.1% |
| 2014 | 17.2% | -26.8% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | +3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.7% | 24.0% | 29.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 20.4% | 17.2% | 23.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 17.2% | 16.9% | 17.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More social development data for Costa Rica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 36,395 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 367 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 367 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0071 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 Costa Rica?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Costa Rica was 17.5% in 2023, 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 Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 29.4% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9% in 2020.
- How does Costa Rica rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Costa Rica ranks 130th out of 150 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.