Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Sweden
Sweden: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 28.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Sweden, 2000–2024
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 Sweden is 28.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Sweden peaked at 28.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.9%, in 2005.
Sweden ranks 79th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.2% | — |
| 2005 | 20.9% | -13.6% |
| 2010 | 22.4% | +7.2% |
| 2015 | 25.6% | +14.3% |
| 2024 | 28.3% | +10.5% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 28.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.6%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 28.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.9%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.5% | 20.9% | 24.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 22.4% | 25.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 28.3% | 28.3% | 28.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 76 Netherlands 29.2% compare
- 77 Burkina Faso 29.0% compare
- 77 Libya 29.0% compare
- 80 Jersey 28.1% compare
- 80 Mozambique 28.1% compare
- 82 Greece 27.6% compare
More social development data for Sweden
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 144,116 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 128 (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 128 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0136 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 Sweden?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Sweden was 28.3% in 2024, 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 28.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.9% in 2005.
- How does Sweden rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Sweden ranks 79th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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 — 5 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.