Comparing the World’s Prisons

At least 11 million people are sitting in prisons and detention centers around the world. And with the global population continuing to rise, prison population numbers are only going to swell in the coming decades. Let’s explore how justice is meted out around the world.

Residents incarcerated per 100,000

Afghanistan 76

Argentina 147

Australia 130

Azerbaijan 226

Belize 476

Bermuda 417

Chile 259

China 170

Cuba 510

Denmark 73

Egypt 71

El Salvador 425

Ethiopia 136

France 100

United Kingdom 132

Iran 284

Iraq 110

Ireland 89

Israel 225

Italy 105

Japan 51

Jordan 95

Kazakhstan 295

Kuwait 140

Libya 82

Mexico 210

North Korea 800

Pakistan 41

Russia 475

Rwanda 492

Saudi Arabia 162

South Africa 294

South Korea 99

Spain 146

Sweden 67

Turkey 184

Ukraine 288

United States 716

Vietnam 145

Death sentences imposed 2007-2012

Afghanistan 364

Argentina 0

Australia 0

Azerbaijan 0

Belize 0

Bermuda 0

Chile 0

China Thousands (at least 11051)

Cuba 0

Denmark 0

Egypt 704

El Salvador 0

Ethiopia 55

France 0

United Kingdom 0

Iran 156

Iraq 1420

Ireland 0

Israel 0

Italy 0

Japan 108

Jordan 67

Kazakhstan 0

Kuwait 31

Libya 0

Mexico 0

North Korea 105

Pakistan 1497

Russia 0

Rwanda 0

Saudi Arabia 54

South Africa 0

South Korea 13

Spain 0

Sweden 0

Turkey 0

Ukraine 0

United States 504

Vietnam 258

Note: Execution figures listed for North Korea, as many of the country’s executions take place without legal proceedings

Notorious Prisons

U.S.

ADX (federal supermax), Florence, Colorado

Notable inmates:

Unabomber Ted Kaczynski

Shoe bomber Richard Reid

Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols

Conditions

According to a class-action lawsuit against the facility, “Many prisoners at ADX interminably wail, scream, and bang on the walls of their cells. Some mutilate their bodies with razors, shards of glass, sharpened chicken bones, writing utensils, and whatever other objects they can obtain.”

Diyarbakır Prison, Turkey

Capacity

Can hold about 1,100 prisoners and is often overcrowded

Conditions

Often referred to as having the most human rights violations per prisoner, the prison is said to be rife with physical and mental torture and sexual abuse. Inmates have attempted hunger strikes, taken their own lives and even set themselves on fire.

North Korea

Camp 22, northeast North Korea

Size

770 square miles, holding 50,000 people at its peak of operations

Conditions

Less a prison than a concentration camp, Camp 22 operators subjected inmates to extreme torture and human experimentation. Officially denied by the North Korean regime, Camp 22 is the most brutal of the country’s oppressive prison camps, though there are some indications the camp may have been closed in recent years.

Torture methods

• Water torture: Prisoner stands on toes in a tank filled with water to his nose for 24 hours
• Hanging torture: Prisoner stripped, hung upside down from the ceiling and beaten
• Box-room-torture: Prisoner detained in tiny cell not large enough to stand or sit
• Kneeling-torture: Prisoner forced to kneel and a wooden bar is inserted near his knee hollows to stop blood circulation.
• Pigeon torture: Prisoner tied to wall with both hands at a height of about 2 feet and must crouch for many hours

VIEW THIS INFOGRAPHIC HERE

http://www.criminaljusticedegreehub.com/worldprisons/