Prison population rate in Barbados

Barbados: Prison population rate was 240 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
240 prisoners per 100,000 people
World rank
59th
of 202 countries
All-time high
527 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2000
All-time low
240 prisoners per 100,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
11
2000–2023

Prison population rate in Barbados, 2000–2023

02004006002000201120232000: 527 prisoners per 100,000 people2003: 366 prisoners per 100,000 people2005: 365 prisoners per 100,000 people2007: 365 prisoners per 100,000 people2008: 376 prisoners per 100,000 people2010: 322 prisoners per 100,000 people2012: 368 prisoners per 100,000 people2014: 299 prisoners per 100,000 people2016: 319 prisoners per 100,000 people2018: 296 prisoners per 100,000 people2023: 240 prisoners per 100,000 people

Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prison population rate in Barbados is 240 prisoners per 100,000 people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 34.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prison population rate in Barbados peaked at 527 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 240 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2023.

That places Barbados 59th out of 202 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 399.8 prisoners per 100,000 people 365 prisoners per 100,000 people 527 prisoners per 100,000 people 5
2010s 320.8 prisoners per 100,000 people 296 prisoners per 100,000 people 368 prisoners per 100,000 people 5
2020s 240 prisoners per 100,000 people 240 prisoners per 100,000 people 240 prisoners per 100,000 people 1

Countries ranked near Barbados

  1. 56 Fiji 248 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  2. 58 Malaysia 244 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  3. 59 Anguilla 240 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  4. 61 Bahrain 234 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
  5. 62 Aruba 233 prisoners per 100,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More population data for Barbados

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is prison population rate in Barbados?
Prison population rate in Barbados was 240 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2023, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest prison population rate recorded in Barbados?
The highest recorded value was 527 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2000.
What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Barbados?
The lowest recorded value was 240 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2023.
How does Barbados rank for prison population rate?
Barbados ranks 59th out of 202 countries with data for 2023.
Is prison population rate rising or falling in Barbados?
Over the last ten years it is down 34.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Barbados data come from?
The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Prison population rate
Unit
prisoners per 100,000 people
Source
Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
202 places, 2,155 data points, 1993–2026
Last refreshed

Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.