Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Tanzania
Tanzania: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 31.4% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Tanzania, 2000–2023
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 31.4% for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of down 40.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Tanzania peaked at 53.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 31.4%, in 2023.
Tanzania ranks 71st of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.2% | — |
| 2005 | 43.9% | +9.2% |
| 2010 | 50.8% | +15.7% |
| 2015 | 53.1% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 51.0% | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 31.4% | -38.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 31.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.2%, 78% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 31.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.0%, 92% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 42.0% | 40.2% | 43.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 51.6% | 50.8% | 53.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 31.4% | 31.4% | 31.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More social development data for Tanzania
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 171,142 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,592 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (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 1,592 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0024 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 Tanzania?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Tanzania was 31.4% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 53.1% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.4% in 2023.
- How does Tanzania rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Tanzania ranks 71st out of 150 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.