Portugal is the country in Europe where prisoners spend more time in prison, with periods over two years on average. In addition, it is part of the countries with a more aging prison and is the one that has fewer inmates.
Space I data, the annual report of criminal statistics of the Council of Europe, released this Friday, reveal that Portugal is the record holder in the largest injuries to detention.
That is, Portugal is the country of Europe where the Reclusos spend more time arrested.
The longer periods were registered in Portugal -data related to 2023 -where the average period of detention is 31.1 monthsin Azerbeijão, which registered 29.7 months, in Moldova, with 25.6 months, and in Romania, with 25.5 months.
By opposition, Bulgaria ariseswhere the average within the chains is 3.9 months, Germany, with 4.2 months and Croatia and Ireland do Norte, both 5.2 months.
Portugal is imposed in the first place
Compared to data related to 2021, the average detention period increased, since this year 30.6 months were recorded, and this year Portugal was also the country that occupied the first place.
One of the explanations for this reality living in the Portuguese chains may be, admitted the Council of Europe, to the limit of the use of short -term penalties, which may result in “in a sense of obligation” by the courts to “apply longer penalties, especially when they consider the necessary arrest, as in cases of recurrence”.
The document also reveals that Portugal has a low admission rate, but the prison population remains above average, “possibly due to longer average penalties or the restriction of the use of alternatives to prison.”
This reality, admits the Council of Europe, increases the risk of overcrowding over time.
Aging prison population
In relation to the ages of prisoners, the percentage of prisoners with ages among the 18 and 25 years, in 2024, was 6.2% – the lowest value in Europe.
Following is the Chéquia and Poland with 7.7% and the country with young people in prisons is Sweden, with 28%.
On the other hand, Portugal appears in the package of countries with more prisoners aged 50 to 64 years, third, with 21%. Ahead is Slovakia, with 25%, and Italy, with 24%.
Furthermore, 4.1% of the prison population in Portugal is over 65 years oldstill far from Croatia, which is the country with the most prisoners over 65 – 9.8%.
