Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Panama
Panama: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 35.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Panama, 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 Panama is 35.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of down 41.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Panama peaked at 65.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 35.1%, in 2025.
Panama ranks 64th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Panama, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 63.2% | — |
| 2005 | 62.8% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 65.5% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 59.7% | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 39.3% | -34.2% |
| 2025 | 35.1% | -10.7% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 35.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.6%, 1.3× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Panama's 35.1% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 36.4%, 96% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63.0% | 62.8% | 63.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 62.6% | 59.7% | 65.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 37.2% | 35.1% | 39.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More social development data for Panama
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,694 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 375 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 375 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0006 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 Panama?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Panama was 35.1% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 65.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.1% in 2025.
- How does Panama rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Panama ranks 64th out of 150 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Panama 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.