Recent data shows prisons in 8 EU countries are overcrowded
5552 Mins Read
Prisons in Cyprus, Italy, France and Sweden are among the most crowded, according to the latest data.
According to the latest data released by Eurostat, the number of prisoners in the EU will increase in 2021, with eight member states recording overcrowded cells.
The continent’s population increased by 2.5% year-on-year to 475,000, equivalent to 106 prisoners per 100,000 EU inhabitants in 2021.
Previously, between 1993 and 2012, the number of EU prisoners increased by a significant 24%, while the population growth was less than 5%.
About 14 of the 26 countries included in the statistics saw prison numbers increase in 2020 following COVID-19-related declines. Hungary and Poland had the highest prisoner rates, while Finland and Slovenia had the lowest prisoner-to-population ratios.
Despite being the second lowest since the turn of the century, 2021 saw prisons in eight EU member countries plagued by overcrowding.
The figures come after WHO’s recent report found more than a third of all prisoners in European jails were suffering from mental health disorders due to “issues of overcrowding.”
Cypriot prisons were the most overcrowded in the EU, with almost 50% more prisoners than the official capacity.
The US State Department’s Human Rights report denounced Cyprus for its overcrowded prisons in 2022 with many asylum seekers forced to tolerate harsh conditions.
Malta’s figures showed the country still had one-third of its prison space vacant. In total, 17 countries had “extra cells” despite increasing prisoner rates.
Official 2021 figures were not available for Belgium, but in a sign that the situation is poor, the country recently released 300 inmates in order to avoid overcrowding.
