Half of the world's prison population of about nine million is held in the US, China or Russia.
Prison rates in the US are the world's highest, at 724 people per 100,000. In Russia the rate is 581.
At 145 per 100,000, the imprisonment rate of England and Wales is at about the midpoint worldwide.
Many of the lowest rates are in developing countries, but overcrowding can be a serious problem. Kenyan prisons have an occupancy level of 343.7%
SOURCE: International Centre for Prison Studies
Country Prison population Population per 100,000 Jail occupancy level % Un-sentenced prisoners % Women prisoners % US 2,193,798 737 107.6 21.2 8.9 CHINA 1,548,498 118 N/A N/A 4.6 RUSSIA 874,161 615 79.5 16.9 6.8 BRAZIL 371,482 193 150.9 33.1 5.4 INDIA 332,112 30 139 70.1 3.7 MEXICO 214,450 196 133.9 43.2 5 UKRAINE 162,602 350 101.3 19.5 6.1 SOUTH AFRICA 158,501 334 138.6 27.5 2.1 POLAND 89,546 235 124.4 16.8 3 ENGLAND/WALES 80,002 148 112.7 16.4 5.5 JAPAN 79,052 62 105.9 14.7 5.9 KENYA 47,036 130 284.3 45.6 42 TURKEY 65,458 91 77.4 47.7 3.3 NIGERIA 40,444 30 101.5 64.3 1.9 AUSTRALIA 25,790 125 105.9 21.6 7.1 SCOTLAND 6,872 134 107.5 21 4.4 N IRELAND 1,375 79 91.5 37.4 2.2
England and Wales have the highest per capita prison population in Western Europe - 143 people per 100,000.
Scotland, where 135 people out of every 100,000 are in jail, is also above average. Northern Ireland, however, is among those countries with the lowest rates of imprisonment.
Italy's prisons are the most crowded, with an occupancy level of 131.5%. Belgium has the most un-sentenced prisoners and the Netherlands has the most women prisoners.
To see how the UK compares to the rest of the world, click on the tab at the top of this page
SOURCE: International Centre for Prison Studies
Country Prison population Population per 100,000 Jail occupancy level % Un-sentenced prisoners % Women prisoners % ENGLAND/WALES 80,002 148 112.7 16.4 5.5 GERMANY 77,166 94 96.5 17.1 5.3 SPAIN 63,991 144 129.5 23.5 8 ITALY 61,721 104 131.5 35.9 4.8 FRANCE 52,009 85 109.9 31.5 3.6 NETHERLANDS 21,013 128 95.6 30 8.7 PORTUGAL 12,765 120 103.7 23.8 7 BELGIUM 9,597 91 110.6 37.2 4.2 AUSTRIA 8,766 105 107.2 22.6 5.3 SWEDEN 7,450 82 102.7 20.3 5.2 SCOTLAND 6,872 134 107.5 21 4.4 SWITZERLAND 6,111 83 93.4 39 5.4 FINLAND 3,954 75 112.4 11.6 6.3 NORWAY 3,048 66 92.1 15.9 4.8 N IRELAND 1,375 79 91.5 37.4 2.2
Found this quite interesting so thought I would share
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