Country China

Ministry of Justice (sentenced prisoners), Ministry of Public Security

Ministry responsible
(pre-trial detainees and persons in administrative detention)
Prison administration Prison Administration Bureau (MoJ)
Contact address No.10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Beijing 100020, China (MoJ)
Telephone +86 10 6520 6258 or 6213 (MoJ)
Fax +86 10 6520 5866 or 5239 (MoJ)
Website http://english.moj.gov.cn/Prison-Administration/node_7648.htm
Head of prison administration (and Liu Zhenyu (MoJ)
title) Director-General
1 649 804
at mid-2015 (via Asian and Pacific Conference of Correctional Administrators
- sentenced prisoners in Ministry of Justice prisons only, excluding pre-trial
Prison population total (including pre- detainees and those held in administrative detention). The Deputy
trial detainees / remand prisoners) Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate reported in 2009
that, in addition to the sentenced prisoners, more than 650,000 were held in
detention centres In China. If this was still correct in mid-2015 the total
prison population in China was at least 2,300,000.
118
based on an estimated national population of 1.4 billion at mid-2015 (from
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of
United Nations figures) - sentenced prisoners in Ministry of Justice prisons
national population) only. (A total prison population of 2,300,000 would raise the prison
population rate to 164 per 100,000.)
The total number of pre-trial detainees/remand prisoners is probably in
excess of 200,000. This is based on a 2014 report of the Supreme People's
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners Procuratorate and an estimate of three months for the average length of
(percentage of prison population) pre-trial detention, not including time awaiting the result of appeals (Xiaowei
Zhang in 'Pre-trial detention', van Kempen (editor), International Penal and
Penitentiary Foundation, volume 44, 2012).
Female prisoners (percentage of 6.5%
prison population) (of sentenced prisoners in Ministry of Justice prisons, mid-2015)
 Further Information

Juveniles / minors / young prisoners

incl. definition (percentage of prison
population)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of
prison population)
Number of establishments /
institutions
Occupancy level (based on official
capacity)
0.8%
(of sentenced prisoners in Ministry of Justice prisons, 31.12.2013)
0.4%
(of sentenced prisoners in Ministry of Justice prisons, mid-2015)
The Ministry of Justice holds sentenced prisoners in more than 700 prisons.
In addition, there are some 30 jails for juveniles. The Chinese government
reported in 2009 that there were also 320 re-education-through-labour
camps but it is now reported that these have been closed. The number of
pre-trial detention institutions and of special administrative detention
facilities for drug offenders and prostitutes is not known.
Not known.

2000 1,427,407 111

2002 1,512,194 119
2004 1,583,006 119
Prison population trend 2006 1,710,641 118
(year, prison population total, prison
population rate) 2008 1,735,822 121
2010 1,656,773 121
2012 1,657,963 120
2014 1,657,812 119

Crime and Penitentiary System in China -

Statistics & Facts
As of June 2014, some 1.7 million people had been incarcerated in China. In terms of the number of prisoners , China ranked second
only to the United States. Among the other Asian countries, China exhibited the largest prison population, more than four times as large
as the runner-up, India. However, high absolute prisoner numbers may correlate with China’s enormous population base. With a
population of about 1.4 billion, the country was the world’s most populous country in 2013. Surprisingly, the relative prison
population in China ranged lower than that of Taiwan or Singapore.

The number of crimes committed in China has increased slowly over the years. Most crimes were related to theft and fraud , which may
be seen as the outcome of growing social inequality, a side effect of ongoing economic development. Nevertheless, apart from
economic crimes, China seems to be a comparably safe place. As of 2013, none of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world , a ranking
based on a city’s murder rate, were located in China.

A unique feature of the Chinese penitentiary system was the re-education through labor, a system of special administrative detentions.
Sentences under re-education through labor were issued as a form of administrative punishment rather than according to criminal law.
It has been much criticized for the physical abuse practiced in its facilities. Also, critics claim that many detainees are held for political
or religious reasons. The practice was officially abolished by the end of 2013, though a schedule to dissolve it is yet to be issued.
The number of detainees held in re-education-through-labor camps reached a peak in 1960. As of 2010, around 310,000 people were still
incarcerated in labor camps throughout China.

www.prisonstudies.org/country/china

www.statista.com