Prison Statistics, 2018 in Turkey

Number of persons in prison increased by 14%

Prison population was 264 thousand 842 on 31 December, 2018 with an increase of 14% compared to the same date in 2017.

Prison population, 31 December, 2013-2018

The 96.1% of prison population was male

Out of prison population on 31 December, 2018, 78.9% was at the status of convicts and 21.1% was at the status of arrested. The 96.1% of the prison population was male and 3.9% of them was female.

In Turkey, 323 persons were in prison per 100 thousand population

As of 31 December, while 188 persons per 100 thousand population were in prison in Turkey in 2013, it reached to 288 in 2017 and 323 in 2018 by a continuous increasing every year. Whereas, it was 401 per 100 thousand of aged 12 and over population in 2018.

Number of convicts entered into prison was 266 thousand 889 in 2018 

When every entrance record of a convict entered into prison more than once within the same year considered different, number of entrance records of convicts between 1 January-31 December 2018 was 266 thousand 889. When every discharge record of a convict discharged from prison more than once within the same year considered different, number of discharge record of convicts between same dates was 215 thousand 170. 96.2% of convicts received and 96.1% of convicts discharged were males.

Number of juveniles entered into prison and reformatory as convict was 2 thousand 95

While the number of juveniles (12-17 age group) was 2 thousand 95 according to the age at the time of received into prison with an increase of 1.9% compared to previous year, it is 14 thousand 502 according to the age at the time of committed crime with an increase of 22.8% compared to previous year.

Theft was the most committed crime for received convicts

In the case of convicts received into prison committed more than one crime, one of the crimes resulted in major punishment was taken as main crime. In this context, 17% of convicts who were received into prison between 1 January and 31 December 2018, committed theft, 12.4% of them committed assault, 6.7% of them committed production and commerce of drugs, 5.8% of them committed opposition to the Bankruptcy and Enforcement Law and 3.5% of them committed homicide.

Flow population received into and discharged from prison, 1 January-31 December, 2012-2018

The 36.8% of convicts were primary education graduates

When convicts received into prison between 1 January and 31 December, 2018 was examined by committed crime, 47.3% of convicts committed theft were graduated from primary education, 15.1% of them were graduated from junior high school and vocational school at junior high school level, 13.5% of them were graduated from primary school. The 37.5% of convicts committed assault were graduated from primary education, 23.4% of them were graduated from high school and vocational school at high school level and 17% of them were graduated from primary school.

The 29.9% of convicts committed homicide were primary education graduates 

The 36.9% of convicts committed production and commerce of drugs were graduated from primary education, 19% of them were graduated from high school and vocational school at high school level and 18.8% of them were graduated from primary school. The 29.9% of convicts committed homicide were graduated from primary education, 27.6% of them were high school and vocational school at high school level, 17.2% of them were graduated from primary school. The 37.7% of convicts committed sexual crimes were graduated from primary education, 20.6% of them were graduated from high school and vocational school at high school level and 17.2% of them were graduated from primary school.

Most committed crime for higher education was assault   

When convicts received into prison between 1 January and 31 December 2018 was examined by education and the sequence of committed crimes, for 30.1% of those who were literate but not graduated from a school, 25.6% of those who were illiterate, 21.9% of those who were primary education graduates, 18.6% of junior high school and vocational school graduates and 13.9% of those who were primary school graduates, the theft was the first order; the assault was the first order for the high school and vocational high school graduates with 13.3% and for the higher education graduates with 10.5%.

The next release on this subject will be on December, 2020.

___________________________________________________________________________

EXPLANATIONS

Data source of these statistics is the registers of General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses. Data are compiled from the database of National Judicial Network Information System conducted by the Ministry of Justice. Prison population is defined by two different time references. Stock population; Total persons as convicts and arrested in prison as of 31 December. Flow population; Convicts received into prison and convicts discharged from prison between 1 January and 31 December. In this context, if a person is received into prison/discharged from prison more than once within the year,  he/she is counted as a separate person for each time.