The Covid-19 “contributedto reduce the prison population in Europe, in particular because of “traffic restrictions” imposed during the pandemic, according to a study ranging from January 2020 to January 2021, published Tuesday April 5 by the Council of Europe.
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“The decline in the rate of admissions to prison has (…) been particularly marked during 2020, which confirms the influence of movement restrictions linked to Covid-19notes a study carried out by the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) on behalf of the Council. It also invokesthe slowdown of judicial systems” and “release programs“established”in some countries to prevent or curb the spreadof the virus. “Fewer interactions between people means fewer offenses involving contact in public space, fewer arrests and fewer detentions“Explains in the press release from the Council Professor Marcelo Aebi, who leads the team of researchers from the Swiss university.
“Restrictions on the movement of prisoners linked to Covid-19 (which have resulted in a reduction in temporary exit permits and work outside prison establishments) could also explain the significant drop in the number of escapes“(2.2 per 10,000 detainees in 2020, against 8.2 in 2019), further advances the study.
1,414,172 prisoners in 47 countries
As of January 31, 2021, “there were 1,414,172detained in the 47 countries of the Council of Europe (including Russia, recently expelled from the organization after attacking Ukraine), the press release continues, either “a prison population rate (…) of 102 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants“, down 2.3% compared to previous prison figures: as of January 31, 2020, European prisons had 1,528,343 inmates (104.3 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants). These figures confirma (decreasing) trend observed over the past ten years in most European states“recalls the study.
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Between 2020 and 2021, the incarceration rate fell the most in Cyprus (-28.3%). In France, it fell by 11.7%. At the same time, it increased in Sweden (+8.2%), Romania (+6.6%) and North Macedonia (+5.4%). In January 2021, Russia held the record for the incarceration rate, with 328 detainees per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Turkey (325) and Georgia (232). France, which holds the record for the suicide rate, with 27.9 per 100,000 prisoners, is far behind (92.9). At the other end of the spectrum, Iceland has the lowest incarceration rate (41).