Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Spain

Spain: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 17.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
17.7%
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
122nd
of 147 countries
All-time high
24.3%
in 2008
All-time low
12.5%
in 2015
Years of data
22
2003–2024

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

05101520252003201320242003: 21.92004: 22.12005: 22.52006: 23.52007: 24.12008: 24.32009: 20.52010: 18.72011: 17.22012: 15.92013: 13.92014: 13.22015: 12.52016: 13.42017: 15.52018: 16.92019: 17.42020: 16.82021: 16.12022: 16.22023: 17.52024: 17.7

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Spain recorded 17.7% for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 33.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Spain peaked at 24.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 2015.

That places Spain 122nd out of 147 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

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

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Spain, 2003 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2003 21.9%
2004 22.1% +0.9%
2005 22.5% +1.8%
2006 23.5% +4.7%
2007 24.1% +2.2%
2008 24.3% +0.9%
2009 20.5% -15.6%
2010 18.7% -8.6%
2011 17.2% -7.9%
2012 15.9% -7.5%
2013 13.9% -12.7%
2014 13.2% -5.0%
2015 12.5% -5.7%
2016 13.4% +7.6%
2017 15.5% +15.2%
2018 16.9% +9.3%
2019 17.4% +3.0%
2020 16.8% -3.4%
2021 16.1% -4.4%
2022 16.2% +0.8%
2023 17.5% +8.0%
2024 17.7% +1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.7% 20.5% 24.3% 7
2010s 15.5% 12.5% 18.7% 10
2020s 16.8% 16.1% 17.7% 5

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 119 Mongolia 18.9% compare
  2. 120 Puerto Rico 18.8% compare
  3. 121 Zambia 18.1% compare
  4. 123 Malawi 17.6% compare
  5. 124 Italy 16.9% compare
  6. 125 Japan 15.5% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More infrastructure data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Spain?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Spain was 17.7% 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 Spain?
The highest recorded value was 24.3% in 2008.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 2015.
How does Spain rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Spain ranks 122nd out of 147 countries with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is up 33.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Spain 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 Spain. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/spain/

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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