The British Virgin Islands, together with other Caribbean territories, fell within the list of countries with the highest prison populations, when compared to national populations. BVI are in the 9th place in this list, with 464 per 100 000 of the national population. The first place belongs to the United States, which have the highest prison population rate in the world, with 738 per 100 000. They are followed by Russia with 611, St. Kitts & Nevis with 547, US Virgin Islands (521), Turkmenistan (489), Belize (487), Cuba (487), Palau (478), and BVI. Bermuda with 464 keeps the 10th place in the rating, followed by Bahamas (462), Cayman Islands (453), American Samoa (446), Belarus (426), and Dominica (419).
The rating is based on the World Prison Population List, prepared by the King’s College London International Centre for Prison Studies. The report also found that prison population is growing in many parts of the world.
It was also noted that prison population rates vary considerably between different regions of the world, and even between different parts of the same continent. For example, in the American continent the middle rate for South American countries was 165.5, while for Caribbean countries it was already 324.
In this region, to which BVI belongs, the highest prison population is in Cuba. Oslo University researchers estimated the figures for Cuba at 55 000, out of a national population of 11.3 million.