Venezuela

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CountryVenezuela
Ministry responsible
Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Interiores y Justicia
Prison administration
Direccion Nacional de los Servicios Penitenciarios
Telephone
+58 21 250 61213 or 61247
Fax
+58 21 864 8475
Website
http://www.mppsp.gob.ve
Head of prison administration (and title)
(Dra.) Consuelo Cerrada Mendez
Directora Nacional
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
67 200
at March 2022 (Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones; 32,200 in prisons; 35,000 in police detention centres)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
199
based on an estimated national population of 33.84 million at March 2022 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
62.5%
(2020)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
7.8%
(March 2022 - of those in the prisons)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
0.0%
(Juveniles in custody are held not by the prison administration but by INAN, an institute under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.3%
(2020)
Number of establishments / institutions
41
(2023 - number of prisons in operation)
Official capacity of prison system
20 450
(2023 - capacity of the prisons)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
163.8%
(2023 - occupancy level of the prisons)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2000 14,196 58
2002 19,368 76
2004 19,951 76
2006 19,257 70
2008 24,069 85
2010 40,825 140
2012 45,224 150
2014 51,256 168
2016 54,738 173
2018 46,915 145
2020 37,543 113
2000 14,196 58
2002 19,368 76
2004 19,951 76
2006 19,257 70
2008 24,069 85
2010 40,825 140
2012 45,224 150
2014 51,256 168
2016 54,738 173
2018 46,915 145
2020 37,543 113

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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. 

                                                   VENEZUELA

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

6,338
9,633
28,546

44.6%
48.5%
66.0%

26
36
98

2020

23,472

62.5%

71

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.

                                                  VENEZUELA

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

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

2001
2006
2010
2015
2020

936
1,255
2,399
2,761
2,183

5.5%
6.5%
6.4%
5.6%
5.8%

3.7
4.6
8.3
8.8
6.6

2022

2,500

7.8%

7.4

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