Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica
Jamaica: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 22.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica, 2003–2023
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica stood at 22.5%. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica peaked at 22.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 2009.
That places Jamaica 106th out of 150 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 11.5% | — |
| 2005 | 16.6% | +44.3% |
| 2007 | 15.0% | -9.6% |
| 2009 | 11.4% | -24.0% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | +83.3% |
| 2021 | 22.5% | +7.7% |
| 2023 | 22.5% | +0.0% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 22.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31.7%, 71% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 22.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.4%, 62% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.6% | 11.4% | 16.6% | 4 |
| 2010s | 20.9% | 20.9% | 20.9% | 1 |
| 2020s | 22.5% | 22.5% | 22.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More social development data for Jamaica
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 31 (2022)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,642 (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 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,642 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2022)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Jamaica was 22.5% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 22.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 2009.
- How does Jamaica rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Jamaica ranks 106th out of 150 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Jamaica 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 — 7 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.