| Country | El Salvador |
|---|
| Ministry responsible |
a) Ministerio de Justicia y Seguridad Publica (adults); b) Ministerio de Educacion (juveniles)
|
|---|---|
| Prison administration |
a) Direccion General de Centros Penales (DGCP) and Direccion General de Centros Intermedios (DGCI - for young adults sentenced when juveniles). b) Instituto Salvadoreno de la Ninez y Adolescencia (ISNA)
|
| Contact address |
a) Final Psje 3 Edif. Prodisa, 7a. Ave. Nte., San Salvador, El Salvador
b) Col. Costa Rica, Avenida Irazú y Final Calle Santa Marta, No. 2, San Salvador, Apartado Póstal 2690
|
| Telephone |
a) +503 2526 3666
b) +503 2213 4700
|
| Fax |
a) +503 2526 3667
|
| Website | |
| Head of prison administration (and title) | a) Osiris Luna Meza (DGCP), Irma Mejia (DGCI); b) Manuel Antonio Sánchez Estrada (ISNA)
Director
|
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) | Circa
71 000
at May 2022 (via U.S. State Department human rights report)
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) | Circa
1 086
based on an estimated national population of 6.54 million at May 2022 (from United Nations figures)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 23.1%
(22.3.2021)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 7.4%
(22.3.2021)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | 0.0%
(1.3.2021 - under 18. Juveniles in custody are the responsibility of ISNA (El Instituto para el Desarrollo Integral de la Ninez y la Adolescencia)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 1.3%
(22.3.2021)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions | 25
(2015 - 24 prisons, 1 secure hospital ward)
|
| Official capacity of prison system | Circa
30 000
(May 2022)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) | Circa
236.7%
(May 2022)
|
| Prison population trend (year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
|
|---|
At least 241 people have died in El Salvador’s prisons during the ‘war on gangs,’ rights group says
Four inmates killed in El Salvador prison riot
Court Rules El Salvador Prison Crowding Unconstitutional
El Salvador Reforms Classify Gangs as Terrorists, Criminalize Negotiation
El Salvador declares state of emergency at seven prisons in gang crackdown
Pages
US State Department Human Rights Country Report 2013: El Salvador
- Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
- Female prison population: trend
- Prison population trend up to 2000
Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
EL SALVADOR
Year | Number in | Percentage | Pre-trial/remand |
2001 | 5,147 | 54.3% | 86 |
2021 | 8,477 | 23.1% | 130 |
It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
Female prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
EL SALVADOR
Year | Number of | Percentage | Female prison |
2000 | 371 | 4.8% | 6.2 |
2021 | 2,710 | 7.4% | 41.7 |
The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).
Prison population trend up to 2000
The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.
EL SALVADOR
|
Year |
Prison |
Prison population rate |
|
1958 |
6,664 |
254 |