Ecuador prison census reveals 38,179 inmates, 22% rise amid violence surge

A new digital census conducted by the Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Adultas Privadas de la Libertad (SNAI) counted 38,179 prisoners in Ecuador, a 21.9% increase from the 31,321 recorded in the 2022 census. The system used biometric data and individual electronic records to capture demographic, legal and social information, aiming to improve classification, security, health and legal assistance in the penitentiary system.

The rise in the inmate population coincides with a sharp escalation in criminal violence: 2025 saw a homicide rate of over 50 per 100,000 people, the highest in the region. Prison gangs coordinate illicit activities from inside, and rival confrontations have left more than 600 inmate deaths since 2021. In response, the government has intensified militarization of high‑risk facilities and is constructing a new maximum‑security prison modeled on El Salvador’s Bukele‑led design.

The census data will inform policies to address overcrowding, improve security measures, and ensure minimum living standards for detainees.