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Prison population. By nationality and geographical origin Catalonia
Spanish nationality Foreign nationality European Union Rest of Europe Maghreb Africa Central and South America North America Middle East Asia Oceania Stateless Total
2022 3,949 3,764 453 268 1,482 280 1,028 2 18 231 0 0 7,713
2021 4,008 3,738 458 260 1,397 282 1,075 2 22 242 0 0 7,746
2020 4,105 3,779 542 277 1,255 280 1,135 4 18 265 0 3 7,884
2019 4,521 3,870 565 294 1,227 291 1,215 7 16 255 0 0 8,391
2018 4,641 3,726 576 283 1,117 248 1,245 6 20 231 0 0 8,367
2017 4,750 3,617 593 233 1,041 314 1,181 6 38 208 1 2 8,367
2016 4,838 3,728 607 231 1,114 369 1,174 4 34 195 0 0 8,566
2015 4,982 3,828 635 186 1,158 373 1,218 5 37 215 1 0 8,810
2014 5,221 4,073 668 183 1,283 378 1,316 5 43 186 0 11 9,294
2013 5,467 4,351 672 180 1,450 368 1,450 7 39 174 1 10 9,818
2012 5,508 4,554 650 202 1,430 474 1,548 13 47 184 1 5 10,062
2011 5,695 4,818 675 274 1,525 578 1,581 14 57 113 0 1 10,513
2010 5,874 4,646 598 296 1,500 529 1,453 22 55 191 1 1 10,520
2009 5,960 4,565 651 232 1,545 489 1,391 22 68 166 1 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 10,525
2008 5,853 4,198 623 250 1,491 430 1,188 18 52 145 1 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 10,051
2007 5,622 3,773 609 226 1,344 356 1,031 13 41 152 1 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 9,395
2006 5,609 3,361 344 380 1,290 293 866 11 60 117 0 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 8,970
2005 5,462 2,846 321 314 1,152 245 651 9 62 92 0 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 8,308
2004 5,469 2,628 267 287 1,042 251 624 9 62 86 0 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 8,097
2003 5,209 2,207 254 207 904 234 485 9 61 52 1 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 7,416
2002 4,922 2,002 252 197 790 221 412 5 53 71 1 .. Confidential data, low reliability or not available 6,924
Source:
2002-2021: Ministry of Justice.
2022: Ministry of Justice.
(..) Confidential data, low reliability or not available.

Last update: May 25, 2023.

Methodological note

Definition of concepts

Prision population
Set of people detained in penitentiary centres in compliance with custodial sentences in the Penal code and that are in any of the following procedural situations: accused criminals, convicts or detained on preventative grounds, if the cause is processed.

Methodological aspects

The introduction of the new penal Code, on January 1, 1996, led to the classification of convicts on the basis of a new typology of offences, which will coexist alongside the classification used in the previous Penal Code. For statistical purposes it should be noted, however, that each convict is only classified for one offence, always the one for which the convict has received the toughest sentence.

Data is provided on the penal courts that were created to take responsibility for judging and sentencing less serious offences. This also includes the activity of provincial audiences. The information is completed with data on the prison population on December 31.

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