Delhi Prisons Remain the Most Overcrowded in India: NCRB Report

India’s total prison population dropped to 5,30,333 at the end of 2023, down from 5,73,220 in 2022

Overall Prison Population Declines in 2023

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed on Monday that the number of inmates in India’s jails decreased in 2023 compared to the previous year. This decline also eased overcrowding in prisons nationwide.

Occupancy Rates Show Mixed Trends Across States

The 2023 Prison Statistics report highlighted that Indian jails had an occupancy rate of 120.8%, a drop from 131.4% in 2022 and 130.2% in 2021. Delhi’s prisons topped the list of overcrowded facilities, with an alarming 200% occupancy rate. On the other hand, Telangana reported the lowest prison occupancy among major states at 72.8%.

Undertrials Form a Smaller Share of Prisoners

Undertrials accounted for 73.5% of all inmates in 2023, down from 75.8% in 2022 and 77% in 2021. Meanwhile, the proportion of foreign prisoners rose to 1.3% in 2023 from 1% in 2021. Most foreign inmates, including both convicts and undertrials, were Bangladesh nationals.

Education Levels and Sentencing Patterns of Inmates

Nearly two-thirds of the 5,30,333 prisoners were either illiterate (23.8%) or had not completed secondary education (41.1%). Of the 1,35,536 convicts, 55.4% were serving life sentences, while 16.6% had sentences ranging between 10 to 13 years. Among the 3,89,910 undertrials, almost one-third had been behind bars for over a year.