Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Canada

Canada: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 49.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
49.9%
Change on year
up 6.2%
World rank
31st
of 147 countries
All-time high
49.9%
in 2023
All-time low
28.0%
in 2003
Years of data
21
2003–2023

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Canada, 2003–2023

010203040502003201320232003: 282004: 28.32005: 312006: 35.92007: 37.32008: 37.22009: 37.92010: 35.52011: 35.22012: 35.52013: 31.82014: 352015: 37.62016: 39.12017: 38.62018: 39.82019: 41.82020: 40.92021: 44.52022: 472023: 49.9

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Canada recorded 49.9% for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

That represents a change of up 6.2% on the previous year and up 56.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Canada peaked at 49.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 28.0%, in 2003.

Canada ranks 31st of 147 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Canada, 2003 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2003 28.0%
2004 28.3% +1.2%
2005 31.0% +9.6%
2006 35.9% +15.6%
2007 37.3% +4.0%
2008 37.2% -0.3%
2009 37.9% +1.9%
2010 35.5% -6.4%
2011 35.2% -0.8%
2012 35.5% +1.0%
2013 31.8% -10.6%
2014 35.0% +10.0%
2015 37.6% +7.6%
2016 39.1% +4.0%
2017 38.6% -1.2%
2018 39.8% +3.0%
2019 41.8% +5.0%
2020 40.9% -2.2%
2021 44.5% +8.9%
2022 47.0% +5.5%
2023 49.9% +6.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 33.7% 28.0% 37.9% 7
2010s 37.0% 31.8% 41.8% 10
2020s 45.5% 40.9% 49.9% 4

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 28 Armenia 52.2% compare
  2. 29 Switzerland 51.9% compare
  3. 30 Sierra Leone 51.1% compare
  4. 32 Honduras 49.2% compare
  5. 33 Angola 48.5% compare
  6. 34 Luxembourg 48.3% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More infrastructure data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Canada?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Canada was 49.9% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 2023.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 28.0% in 2003.
How does Canada rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Canada ranks 31st out of 147 countries with data for 2023.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 56.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Canada 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 Canada. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/canada/

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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