Civometry

Ministry of Justice · people

Prison population at month end, 2002 to 2015 under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

Prison population at month end, 2002 to 2015: June 2002 to May 2015LabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservative025k50k75k200520102015Before: Prison population as recorded by the previous prison IT system. After: Prison population as recorded by the prison IT system introduced in 2010.methodology changeJune 2002: 71,218 people · published 26 July 2019June 2003: 73,657 people · published 26 July 2019June 2004: 74,488 people · published 26 July 2019June 2005: 76,190 people · published 26 July 2019June 2006: 77,982 people · published 26 July 2019June 2007: 79,734 people · published 26 July 2019June 2008: 83,194 people · published 26 July 2019June 2009: 83,454 people · published 26 July 2019June 2010: 85,002 people · published 26 July 2019July 2010: 84,750 people · published 26 July 2019August 2010: 85,173 people · published 26 July 2019September 2010: 85,429 people · published 26 July 2019October 2010: 85,224 people · published 26 July 2019November 2010: 85,473 people · published 26 July 2019December 2010: 83,055 people · published 26 July 2019January 2011: 84,255 people · published 26 July 2019February 2011: 85,177 people · published 26 July 2019March 2011: 85,400 people · published 26 July 2019April 2011: 84,348 people · published 26 July 2019May 2011: 85,289 people · published 26 July 2019June 2011: 85,374 people · published 26 July 2019July 2011: 85,411 people · published 26 July 2019August 2011: 86,770 people · published 26 July 2019September 2011: 87,501 people · published 26 July 2019October 2011: 87,543 people · published 26 July 2019November 2011: 88,167 people · published 26 July 2019December 2011: 86,172 people · published 26 July 2019January 2012: 87,799 people · published 26 July 2019February 2012: 87,733 people · published 26 July 2019March 2012: 87,531 people · published 26 July 2019April 2012: 87,409 people · published 26 July 2019May 2012: 87,068 people · published 26 July 2019June 2012: 86,048 people · published 26 July 2019July 2012: 86,752 people · published 26 July 2019August 2012: 86,708 people · published 26 July 2019September 2012: 86,457 people · published 26 July 2019October 2012: 86,301 people · published 26 July 2019November 2012: 86,047 people · published 26 July 2019December 2012: 83,757 people · published 26 July 2019January 2013: 83,918 people · published 26 July 2019February 2013: 84,451 people · published 26 July 2019March 2013: 83,769 people · published 26 July 2019April 2013: 84,176 people · published 26 July 2019May 2013: 83,897 people · published 26 July 2019June 2013: 83,842 people · published 26 July 2019July 2013: 84,085 people · published 26 July 2019August 2013: 83,770 people · published 26 July 2019September 2013: 84,488 people · published 26 July 2019October 2013: 85,277 people · published 26 July 2019November 2013: 85,153 people · published 26 July 2019December 2013: 84,163 people · published 26 July 2019January 2014: 84,977 people · published 26 July 2019February 2014: 85,469 people · published 26 July 2019March 2014: 85,265 people · published 26 July 2019April 2014: 84,646 people · published 26 July 2019May 2014: 84,845 people · published 26 July 2019June 2014: 85,509 people · published 26 July 2019July 2014: 85,653 people · published 26 July 2019August 2014: 85,302 people · published 26 July 2019September 2014: 85,698 people · published 26 July 2019October 2014: 85,786 people · published 26 July 2019November 2014: 85,837 people · published 26 July 2019December 2014: 84,691 people · published 26 July 2019January 2015: 84,838 people · published 26 July 2019February 2015: 85,311 people · published 26 July 2019March 2015: 85,664 people · published 26 July 2019April 2015: 85,641 people · published 26 July 2019May 2015: 85,694 people · published 26 July 2019
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestDashed line: change in coverage or methodShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – presentThe last period published before this government took office is too old to serve as a fair starting level.
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 2024The last period published before this government took office is too old to serve as a fair starting level.
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 2019The last period published before this government took office is too old to serve as a fair starting level.
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 2017Fewer than two periods have been published during this government, so no change is shown yet.
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 201583,454June 200985,641April 2015↑ 2.6%+2,187
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 201074,488June 200483,454June 2009↑ 12.0%+8,966
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 2005No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 2001No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 1997No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 1992No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 1987No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 1983No complete period was published before this government took office.