Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 40.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in New Zealand, 2000–2025
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 New Zealand is 40.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 67.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in New Zealand peaked at 40.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.3%, in 2000.
New Zealand ranks 46th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 13.3% | — |
| 2005 | 16.0% | +20.3% |
| 2010 | 21.6% | +35.0% |
| 2015 | 24.1% | +11.6% |
| 2020 | 36.5% | +51.5% |
| 2025 | 40.4% | +10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.7% | 13.3% | 16.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 22.9% | 21.6% | 24.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.5% | 36.5% | 40.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 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 New Zealand?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in New Zealand was 40.4% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 40.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.3% in 2000.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- New Zealand ranks 46th out of 150 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.