Mexico faces severe prison overcrowding in Estado de México and Sonora

Mexico is facing a severe prison overcrowding crisis, particularly in the states of Estado de México and Sonora. In Estado de México, the penitentiary system reports a 158 percent overpopulation rate, with more than 39,000 inmates occupying spaces designed for approximately 16,310. This has led the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation to intervene, specifically regarding the Neza-Bordo facility, citing human rights violations. In response, the state government is evaluating a 400 million peso investment to expand existing centers and construct a new prison.

Sonora also reports critical saturation levels, ranking as the second most overcrowded state in the country. The state's 13 prisons hold 16,722 people despite having capacity for only 7,988. A significant portion of this crisis is driven by legal delays; approximately 60 percent of inmates in Sonora are awaiting sentencing. Data shows that while the total inmate population in Sonora increased between 2024 and 2026, the number of sentenced individuals actually decreased, highlighting a systemic issue with judicial outcomes and legal processing.