Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales)

United Kingdom (England and Wales): Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 10.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
10.9%
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
151st
of 164 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 2009
All-time low
7.2%
in 2019
Years of data
20
2003–2022

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales), 2003–2022

0510152003201220222003: 10.72004: 10.42005: 10.82006: 10.52007: 10.72008: 10.72009: 16.22010: 102011: 9.72012: 8.92013: 9.22014: 10.12015: 9.62016: 7.42017: 7.72018: 7.62019: 7.22020: 102021: 10.82022: 10.9

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

United Kingdom (England and Wales) recorded 10.9% for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in 2022.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 21.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales) peaked at 16.2% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 7.2%, in 2019.

That places United Kingdom (England and Wales) 151st out of 164 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales), year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in United Kingdom (England and Wales), 2003 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2003 10.7%
2004 10.4% -3.4%
2005 10.8% +3.9%
2006 10.5% -2.1%
2007 10.7% +1.5%
2008 10.7% +0.2%
2009 16.2% +51.4%
2010 10.0% -38.5%
2011 9.7% -2.6%
2012 8.9% -8.3%
2013 9.2% +3.7%
2014 10.1% +9.1%
2015 9.6% -4.8%
2016 7.4% -23.2%
2017 7.7% +4.3%
2018 7.6% -0.9%
2019 7.2% -4.9%
2020 10.0% +38.1%
2021 10.8% +7.7%
2022 10.9% +0.7%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales) changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2009 +51.4% 10.7% 16.2%
2010 -38.5% 16.2% 10.0%
2020 +38.1% 7.2% 10.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 11.4% 10.4% 16.2% 7
2010s 8.7% 7.2% 10.1% 10
2020s 10.5% 10.0% 10.9% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom (England and Wales)

  1. 148 Bermuda 12.6% compare
  2. 149 Viet Nam 11.5% compare
  3. 149 Viet Nam 11.5% compare
  4. 151 Poland 10.9% compare
  5. 153 Ghana 10.5% compare
  6. 154 Morocco 10.5% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More infrastructure data for United Kingdom (England and Wales)

All data for United Kingdom (England and Wales) →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales)?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United Kingdom (England and Wales) was 10.9% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in United Kingdom (England and Wales)?
The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2009.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in United Kingdom (England and Wales)?
The lowest recorded value was 7.2% in 2019.
How does United Kingdom (England and Wales) rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
United Kingdom (England and Wales) ranks 151st out of 164 countries with data for 2022.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in United Kingdom (England and Wales)?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom (England and Wales) 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 United Kingdom (England and Wales). Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/united-kingdom-england-and-wales/

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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
195 places, 3,134 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed