Prison population rate in Kenya
Kenya: Prison population rate was 100 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prison population rate in Kenya, 2000–2024
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
Kenya recorded 100 prisoners per 100,000 people for prison population rate in 2024.
The figure is down 6.5% on the previous year and down 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in Kenya peaked at 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2004 and was at its lowest, 81 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2020.
That places Kenya 144th out of 202 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 127 prisoners per 100,000 people | 108 prisoners per 100,000 people | 150 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 112 prisoners per 100,000 people | 103 prisoners per 100,000 people | 123 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 96 prisoners per 100,000 people | 81 prisoners per 100,000 people | 107 prisoners per 100,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.40 million people (2100)
- Population density 183.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.0% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.17 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 604,257 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.17 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.17 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.0% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.21 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in Kenya?
- Prison population rate in Kenya was 100 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024, 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 150 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2004.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 81 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2020.
- How does Kenya rank for prison population rate?
- Kenya ranks 144th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.