Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 41.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2003–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa is 41.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 45.5% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 38.0%, in 2017.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd of 31 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 43.8% | — |
| 2004 | 44.0% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 45.5% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 44.4% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 44.1% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 43.4% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 43.2% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 41.1% | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 40.7% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 39.0% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 38.2% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 38.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 38.0% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 38.6% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 38.4% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 40.4% | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 40.4% | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 40.7% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 41.0% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.1% | 43.2% | 45.5% | 7 |
| 2010s | 39.3% | 38.0% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.7% | 40.4% | 41.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.20 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 90.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 5.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -16.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 5.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9049 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Sub-Saharan Africa was 41.0% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 45.5% in 2005.
- What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.0% in 2017.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
- Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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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