Liberia

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CountryLiberia
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice
Prison administration
Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Contact address
Ashmun Street, P.O. Box 10-900, 1000 Monrovia, Liberia
Telephone
+231 22 64 82 or 22 78 73
Head of prison administration (and title)
S. Sainleseh Kwaidah
Director of Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)
Circa
3 000
at April 2023 (UNDP Liberia))
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
Circa
55
based on an estimated national population of 5.41 million at April 2023 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)
71.2%
(April 2023)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.8%
(December 2019)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)
1.9%
(December 2019 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)
2.0%
(August 2007)
Number of establishments / institutions
16
(2021 - 15 prisons, of which the largest is Monrovia Central Prison, and one detention centre)
Official capacity of prison system
1 351
(October 2019)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)
222.1%
(October 2019)
Prison population trend
(year, prison population total, prison population rate)
2007 1,022 29
2009 1,420 37
2011 1,601 39
2013 1,827 43
2015 2,203 49
2017 2,211 47
2019 2,700 54
2007 1,022 29
2009 1,420 37
2011 1,601 39
2013 1,827 43
2015 2,203 49
2017 2,211 47
2019 2,700 54

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Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                   LIBERIA

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2007
2009
2015
2019

802
1,112
1,428
1,728

91.1%
78.3%
67.9%
64.0%

23
29
31
34

2023
 
2,137
 
71.2%
 
40
 

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                   LIBERIA

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2001
2007
2010
2015

not known
50
31
49

c. 5%
4.9%
2.0%
2.3%

-
1.4
0.8
1.1

2019

75

2.8%

1.5

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population total
Prison population rate