Pre-trial detainees

The World Prison Brief reports the share of a country's prison population that is held before trial or awaiting final sentence (pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners), compiled from official national sources. A high share signals slow courts, bail practice and case backlogs, so it is a direct measure of how quickly the justice system resolves cases. For India, WPB reports 72.6% of prisoners were pre-trial/remand at 31.12.2024, based on National Crime Records Bureau data.

Position from worst

72.6

2024

Published by

World Prison Brief, Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (Birkbeck, University of London)

irregular

Reference date 31.12.2024; source National Crime Records Bureau.

Pre-trial detainees over time

2000–2024 · 6 observations · lower is better · % of total prison population

View as table

Period	Pre-trial detainees
2024	72.6%
2020	76.1%
2015	67.2%
2010	65.1%
2005	66.2%
2000	71.2%

Compared with

Vietnam

11.5%

Japan

15.8%

Indonesia

20.4%

United States

25.5%

Brazil

25.7%

Germany

26.6%

South Africa

37.3%

Nepal

53.0%

Bangladesh

66.9%

Sri Lanka

72.4%

India

72.6%

Pakistan

73.4%

Latest available year for each country · % of total prison population · lower is better

Source

World Prison Brief, Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (Birkbeck, University of London) — https://www.prisonstudies.org/