CountryItaly
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Department of Prison Administration
Contact address
Largo Luigi Daga 2, I-00164 ROME, Italy
Telephone
+39 06 66 59 13 21
Fax
+39 06 66 16 51 39
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Santi Consolo
Head of the Department of Prison Administration
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
61 758
at 31.8.2024 (Ministry of Justice - not including those in institutions for minors, of whom there were 409 at 30.6.2019)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
105
based on an estimated national population of 58.98 million at end of August 2024 (from Eurostat figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
25.5%
(31.8.2024 - not including those in institutions for minors)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
4.3%
(31.8.2024 - not including those in institutions for minors)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.3%
(30.6.2019 - under 18; including those in institutions for minors)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
31.6%
(31.8.2024 - not including those in institutions for minors)
Number of establishments / institutions
206
(2020 - 189 penal institutions for adults, 17 for minors)
Official capacity of prison system
51 734
(31.8.2024 - not including those in institutions for minors)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
121.3%
(31.8.2024 - not including those in institutions for minors)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 53,165 93
2002 55,670 97
2004 56,068 96
2006 39,005 66
2008 58,127 97
2010 67,961 112
2012 65,701 110
2014 53,623 88
2016 54,653 90
2018 59,655 99
2020 53,364 89
2000 53,165 93
2002 55,670 97
2004 56,068 96
2006 39,005 66
2008 58,127 97
2010 67,961 112
2012 65,701 110
2014 53,623 88
2016 54,653 90
2018 59,655 99
2020 53,364 89

Pages

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. 

                                                          ITALY

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

23,456
21,662
29,986
17,785
16,810

43.4%
36.4%
43.6%
34.1%
31.7%

41
37
49
29
28

2024

15,734

25.5%

27

Note. These figures do not include minors held in ‘custodia cautelare’ in ‘istituti penali per minorenni’.

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.

                                                           ITALY

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

2,235
2,843
2,995
2,131
2,255

4.2%
4.8%
4.5%
4.1%
4.2%

3.9
4.8
4.9
3.5
3.8

2024

2,686

4.3%

4.6

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 total
Prison population rate