Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United States of America

United States of America: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 26.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
26.7%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
91st
of 164 countries
All-time high
26.9%
in 2022
All-time low
20.9%
in 2011
Years of data
21
2003–2023

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United States of America, 2003–2023

01020302003201320232003: 22.6 %2004: 21.6 %2005: 23.3 %2006: 22.2 %2007: 22.3 %2008: 22.4 %2009: 21.9 %2010: 21.2 %2011: 20.9 %2012: 21.4 %2013: 21.5 %2014: 22.1 %2015: 21.9 %2016: 23.3 %2017: 23.5 %2018: 24.1 %2019: 24.3 %2020: 23.9 %2021: 26.1 %2022: 26.9 %2023: 26.7 %

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 United States of America is 26.7%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 24.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United States of America peaked at 26.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.9%, in 2011.

That places United States of America 91st out of 164 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

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 United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in United States of America, 2003 to 2023.
Year % Change
2003 22.6%
2004 21.6% -4.3%
2005 23.3% +7.6%
2006 22.2% -4.6%
2007 22.3% +0.4%
2008 22.4% +0.5%
2009 21.9% -2.5%
2010 21.2% -3.2%
2011 20.9% -1.5%
2012 21.4% +2.4%
2013 21.5% +0.5%
2014 22.1% +2.7%
2015 21.9% -0.6%
2016 23.3% +6.3%
2017 23.5% +0.6%
2018 24.1% +2.9%
2019 24.3% +0.6%
2020 23.9% -1.7%
2021 26.1% +9.6%
2022 26.9% +2.9%
2023 26.7% -0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 22.3% 21.6% 23.3% 7
2010s 22.4% 20.9% 24.3% 10
2020s 25.9% 23.9% 26.9% 4

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 88 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 27.1% compare
  2. 89 Germany 27.0% compare
  3. 90 Sweden 27.0% compare
  4. 92 Cambodia 26.6% compare
  5. 93 Iraq (Central Iraq) 26.5% compare
  6. 94 El Salvador 26.0% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More infrastructure data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United States of America?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in United States of America was 26.7% 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 United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 26.9% in 2022.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 20.9% in 2011.
How does United States of America rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
United States of America ranks 91st out of 164 countries with data for 2023.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of 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 United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/united-states/

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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