3 in 4 prisoners in Indian jails are under trial, highest in 25 years

Three in four prisoners in India's jails are under trial, according to government data for the year 2020. This is the highest share of undertrial detainees in prison since at least 1995.

Three in four prisoners in India's jails are under trial, according to government data for the year 2020, the latest year for which such data are available. This is the highest share of undertrial detainees in prison since at least 1995, the earliest year for which such data are available. While the total number of prison inmates rose 1% from the previous year, the number of undertrial inmates increased by nearly 12%, according to the Prison Statistics India 2020 report. Over half the undertrial inmates were in district jails, which are overcrowded: An average district jail runs at an occupancy