Prisons in Turkey are overflowing: Women, children, and university graduate inmates draw attention

The occupancy rate in Turkey's prisons is rising rapidly. The number of detainees and convicts, which was 342 thousand 526 as of July 1, 2024, rose to 392 thousand 456 as of February 3, 2025. The number of detainees and convicts entering prisons has increased by 50 thousand people in the last six months.

PRISONS FILLED BEYOND CAPACITY 

There are a total of 403 prisons across Turkey. On July 1, 2024, the total capacity of the prisons was 295 thousand 328, while the number of detainees and convicts inside had exceeded this figure by 47 thousand people. According to the latest data, there are 335 thousand 799 convicts and 56 thousand 657 detainees in prisons.

According to the report by Erdoğan Süzer from Sözcü, of the 392 thousand 456 detainees and convicts in prisons, 371 thousand 435 are men, 17 thousand 131 are women, and 3 thousand 890 are children. The number of convicted children was recorded as 1,155, while the number of detained children was 2,735. Additionally, there are approximately 25 thousand university graduates, 1,841 master's degree holders, and 286 PhD graduates among the inmates in prisons.

11 NEW PRISONS TO BE BUILT 

The Ministry of Justice plans to build 11 new prisons by 2027 to address the capacity shortage. 1.2 billion TL will be spent on these projects in 2025, and the total cost is expected to reach 23.5 billion TL by the end of 2027.

On the other hand, costs for prisons under construction are increasing exponentially. The cost of the Kütahya Domaniç Prison, which was previously tendered, has increased 8-fold, while the cost of the Giresun Şebinkarahisar Prison has increased 11-fold.

News Source: 12punto