Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Northern America

Northern America: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 28.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
28.0%
Change on year
up 3.0%
Rank
18th
of 31 groups
All-time high
28.0%
in 2024
All-time low
21.1%
in 2011
Years of data
22
2003–2024

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

01020302003201320242003: 22.7 %2004: 21.7 %2005: 23.4 %2006: 22.4 %2007: 22.5 %2008: 22.7 %2009: 22.1 %2010: 21.4 %2011: 21.1 %2012: 21.6 %2013: 21.6 %2014: 22.3 %2015: 22.2 %2016: 23.6 %2017: 23.8 %2018: 24.4 %2019: 24.6 %2020: 24.2 %2021: 26.5 %2022: 27.3 %2023: 27.2 %2024: 28 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Northern America stood at 28.0%. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 25.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Northern America peaked at 28.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.1%, in 2011.

That places Northern America 18th out of 31 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 Northern America, year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Northern America, 2003 to 2024.
Year % Change
2003 22.7%
2004 21.7% -4.2%
2005 23.4% +7.6%
2006 22.4% -4.1%
2007 22.5% +0.5%
2008 22.7% +0.6%
2009 22.1% -2.3%
2010 21.4% -3.3%
2011 21.1% -1.4%
2012 21.6% +2.4%
2013 21.6% +0.0%
2014 22.3% +3.0%
2015 22.2% -0.3%
2016 23.6% +6.2%
2017 23.8% +0.6%
2018 24.4% +2.9%
2019 24.6% +0.7%
2020 24.2% -1.7%
2021 26.5% +9.5%
2022 27.3% +3.0%
2023 27.2% -0.5%
2024 28.0% +3.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.5% 21.7% 23.4% 7
2010s 22.7% 21.1% 24.6% 10
2020s 26.6% 24.2% 28.0% 5

Countries ranked near Northern America

  1. 15 Niger 62.0% compare
  2. 16 Grenada 61.0% compare
  3. 17 Saint Kitts and Nevis 60.6% compare
  4. 18 Liberia 60.5% compare
  5. 19 Benin 59.9% compare
  6. 20 Yemen 59.0% compare
  7. 21 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 58.7% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More infrastructure data for Northern America

All data for Northern America →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Northern America?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Northern America was 28.0% 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 Northern America?
The highest recorded value was 28.0% in 2024.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Northern America?
The lowest recorded value was 21.1% in 2011.
How does Northern America rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Northern America ranks 18th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Northern America?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Northern America 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 Northern America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/northern-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
195 places, 3,134 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed