Jordan

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CountryJordan
Ministry responsible
Ministry of the Interior, Public Security Directorate
Prison administration
Department of Correction and Rehabilitation Centres
Telephone
+962 797 911 911
Head of prison administration (and title)
(Brigadier) Ayman Al-awaysheh
Director of Correction and Rehabilitation Centres
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
19 140
at January 2022 (Minister of Interior)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
185
based on an estimated national population of 10.37 million at January 2022 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
36.9%
(31.12.2019)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.2%
(31.12.2019)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
(Juveniles in custody are held not by the prison administration but by the Ministry of Justice.)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
9.9%
(31.12.2019)
Number of establishments / institutions
17
(2022)
Official capacity of prison system
13 288
(January 2022)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
144.0%
(January 2022)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
1993 3,749 87
2001 5,621 107
2005 6,378 112
2007 6,633 107
2009 7,206 106
2011 6,262 82
2013 c 8,000 c 95
2015 11,489 123
2017 15,086 154
2019 20,060 198
1993 3,749 87
2001 5,621 107
2005 6,378 112
2007 6,633 107
2009 7,206 106
2011 6,262 82
2013 c 8,000 c 95
2015 11,489 123
2017 15,086 154
2019 20,060 198

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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. 

                                                    JORDAN

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2001
2005
2011
2014

2,373
3,057
2,957
c. 4,480

42.2%
47.9%
47.2%
44.4%

48
57
47
67

2019

7,409

36.9%

73

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.

                                                   JORDAN

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2005
2010
2015

185
127
c. 460

2.9%
1.5%
c. 4.0%

3.5
2.0
c. 6.0

2019

441

2.2%

4.3

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