Taiwan

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CountryTaiwan
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Agency of Corrections
Contact address
No.180, Hong-Teh Village, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City, 33307, Taiwan
Telephone
+886-3-3206361
Fax
+886-3-3200043
Website
Head of prison administration (and title)
Chou Hui Huang
Director
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
59 101
at 31.10.2024 (Ministry of Justice)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
252
based on an estimated national population of 23.46 million at end of October 2024 (from figures by National Statistics, Republic of China)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
6.8%
(31.10.2024)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
9.6%
(31.10.2024)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
1.9%
(31.8.2021 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
0.7%
(31.5.2015)
Number of establishments / institutions
49
(2015 - 24 prisons, 12 detention houses, 2 juvenile detention and classification houses, 2 juvenile reformatory schools, 2 juvenile correctional-educational schools, 3 vocational training institutes and 4 drug abstention and treatment centres)
Official capacity of prison system
60 552
(31.10.2024)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
97.6%
(31.10.2024)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 56,676 254
2002 56,444 251
2004 56,786 250
2006 63,226 276
2008 63,203 274
2010 65,311 282
2012 66,106 283
2014 63,452 271
2016 62,398 265
2018 63,317 268
2020 58,362 248
2022 55,118 234
2000 56,676 254
2002 56,444 251
2004 56,786 250
2006 63,226 276
2008 63,203 274
2010 65,311 282
2012 66,106 283
2014 63,452 271
2016 62,398 265
2018 63,317 268
2020 58,362 248
2022 55,118 234

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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. 

                                                     TAIWAN

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

5,686
6,361
5,015
3,736
2,548

10.0%
10.6%
7.7%
5.9%
4.4%

26
28
22
16
11

2024

4,020

6.8%

17

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. 

                                                   TAIWAN

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2015
2020

5,399
5,214

8.6%
9.0%

23.0
22.1

2024

5,662

9.6%

24.1

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