Europe’s prison population falls, but there is no progress in tackling overcrowding, says annual Council of Europe survey
The number of people held in European prisons decreased by 6.8% from 2014 to 2015, although prison overcrowding remained a problem in 15 countries, according to the latest Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE), published today.
Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “The drop in the overall number of people in prison in Europe is welcome. Increasing the use of alternative sentences does not necessarily lead to higher crime rates but can help to reintegrate offenders and tackle overcrowding.”
Significant reductions in the incarceration rate were recorded in Greece (-18.8%), Croatia (-10.2%), Denmark (-11.9%), Northern Ireland (-9.7%), the Netherlands (-9.5%), Lithuania (-8.8%), Romania (- 8.6%) and Slovenia (-8.2%). On the other hand, the incarceration rate grew most in Georgia (+20.5%), “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (+12%), Turkey (+11.6%), the Czech Republic (+11.4%) and Albania (+10.3%).
The countries with the highest incarceration rates were Russia (439.2 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants), Lithuania (277.7), Georgia (274.6), Azerbaijan (249.3), Latvia (223.4), Turkey (220.4) and the Republic of Moldova (219.9).
The Netherlands (53) and some Nordic countries – namely Finland (54.8), Denmark (56.1) and Sweden (58.6) - appear to be those resorting less often to imprisonment and thus registering the lowest rates.
The report notes that after natural causes, suicide was the most common cause of mortality in prisons, representing 25% of all deaths. One in every four suicides was committed in pre-trial detention.
In the section regarding Armenia, the report notes that in 2015 Armenia had a total of 3888 inmates, which makes up 129.7 inmates per 100.000 inhabitants, which indicates a slightly higher figure than the average 115.7 inmates for the state members. It is noted that since 2005 the number of inmates per 100.000 inhabitants increased in Armenia by 48 percent. This indicator increased by 191 percent in Turkey, by 90 percent in Albania and by 79 percent in San Marino.
Female inmates make up 4.4 percent in Armenia. The number of foreign inmates makes up 3.2 percent, which is lower than the average indicator of the Council of Europe.
The survey has not turned to the issue of prison overcrowding in Armenia.
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