Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas

Americas: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 29.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
29.3%
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
14th
of 28 groups
All-time high
30.6%
in 2014
All-time low
26.9%
in 2004
Years of data
22
2003–2024

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas, 2003–2024

01020302003201320242003: 27.72004: 26.92005: 27.92006: 28.92007: 29.12008: 27.62009: 28.62010: 28.22011: 28.22012: 29.12013: 29.12014: 30.62015: 30.12016: 29.62017: 29.62018: 30.12019: 29.32020: 29.52021: 30.52022: 30.12023: 29.42024: 29.3

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas is 29.3%, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas peaked at 30.6% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2004.

Americas ranks 14th of 28 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas, year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Americas, 2003 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2003 27.7%
2004 26.9% -3.1%
2005 27.9% +3.9%
2006 28.9% +3.5%
2007 29.1% +0.7%
2008 27.6% -5.0%
2009 28.6% +3.5%
2010 28.2% -1.2%
2011 28.2% +0.1%
2012 29.1% +2.9%
2013 29.1% +0.1%
2014 30.6% +5.1%
2015 30.1% -1.6%
2016 29.6% -1.6%
2017 29.6% -0.1%
2018 30.1% +1.7%
2019 29.3% -2.6%
2020 29.5% +0.6%
2021 30.5% +3.3%
2022 30.1% -1.1%
2023 29.4% -2.4%
2024 29.3% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 28.1% 26.9% 29.1% 7
2010s 29.4% 28.2% 30.6% 10
2020s 29.8% 29.3% 30.5% 5

Countries ranked near Americas

  1. 11 Trinidad and Tobago 62.3% compare
  2. 11 Viet Nam 11.5% compare
  3. 12 Saint Lucia 62.1% compare
  4. 13 Albania 62.0% compare
  5. 14 Dominican Republic 62.0% compare
  6. 15 Niger 62.0% compare
  7. 16 Grenada 61.0% compare
  8. 17 Saint Kitts and Nevis 60.6% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More infrastructure data for Americas

All data for Americas →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas was 29.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Americas?
The highest recorded value was 30.6% in 2014.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Americas?
The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2004.
How does Americas rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Americas ranks 14th out of 28 groups with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Americas?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Americas data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Americas. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/americas/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
186 places, 3,007 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed