Prison population rate in Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic: Prison population rate was 219 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prison population rate in Dominican Republic, 2000–2025
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 Dominican Republic is 219 prisoners per 100,000 people, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in Dominican Republic peaked at 248 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 140 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2004.
That places Dominican Republic 65th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Prison population rate in Dominican Republic, year by year
| Year | prisoners per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 173 prisoners per 100,000 people | — |
| 2002 | 184 prisoners per 100,000 people | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 140 prisoners per 100,000 people | -23.9% |
| 2006 | 145 prisoners per 100,000 people | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 170 prisoners per 100,000 people | +17.2% |
| 2010 | 208 prisoners per 100,000 people | +22.4% |
| 2012 | 235 prisoners per 100,000 people | +13.0% |
| 2014 | 241 prisoners per 100,000 people | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 238 prisoners per 100,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 238 prisoners per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 248 prisoners per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 232 prisoners per 100,000 people | -6.5% |
| 2025 | 219 prisoners per 100,000 people | -5.6% |
Dominican Republic compared with similar countries
- Dominican Republic's 219 prisoners per 100,000 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 216 prisoners per 100,000 people, 1.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Dominican Republic's 219 prisoners per 100,000 people is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 280 prisoners per 100,000 people, 78% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 162.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | 140 prisoners per 100,000 people | 184 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 232 prisoners per 100,000 people | 208 prisoners per 100,000 people | 241 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 233 prisoners per 100,000 people | 219 prisoners per 100,000 people | 248 prisoners per 100,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Dominican Republic
- 62 Aruba 233 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 63 Iran 228 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 64 Maldives 225 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 66 Algeria 217 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 66 Israel 217 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 68 Mauritius 215 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
More population data for Dominican Republic
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5703 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5342 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -9.52 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5342 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 543,612 people (2100)
- Population density 245.63 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8255 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.714 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in Dominican Republic?
- Prison population rate in Dominican Republic was 219 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025, 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 Dominican Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 248 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Dominican Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 140 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2004.
- How does Dominican Republic rank for prison population rate?
- Dominican Republic ranks 65th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in Dominican Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Dominican Republic 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.
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About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.