Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor
East Timor: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 23.2% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor, 2003–2021
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
East Timor recorded 23.2% for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of down 45.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor peaked at 70.9% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 2017.
East Timor ranks 101st of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 70.9% | — |
| 2009 | 42.6% | -39.9% |
| 2015 | 24.8% | -41.8% |
| 2017 | 23.2% | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 23.2% | +0.0% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 23.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.2%, 58% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 23.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.8%, 98% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 56.8% | 42.6% | 70.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 23.2% | 24.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 23.2% | 23.2% | 23.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More social development data for East Timor
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 (2015)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 15 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 15 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2015)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in East Timor was 23.2% in 2021, 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 East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 70.9% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 2017.
- How does East Timor rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- East Timor ranks 101st out of 150 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Timor 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
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About this data
Pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners as a percentage of the total prison population.