Men make up 97% of the 24 000 behind bars in Zimbabwe

THE Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has disclosed that a staggering 24 068 individuals were behind bars from January to March 2024, with an overwhelming majority of them — 97 percent — being male.

The statistics released yesterday were sourced from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), and indicate that 23 401 male inmates constitute 97,2 percent of the total prison population, leaving a mere 667 female inmates to make up the remaining 2,8 percent.

The figures highlight the prevalence of theft as the primary cause of imprisonment. Furthermore, ZimStat has noted a general uptick in the number of prisoners in the first quarter of 2024, marking a rise from the preceding quarter’s figures. This trend suggests an increasing rate of incarceration, prompting concerns about the capacity and conditions within Zimbabwe’s prison facilities.

“The prison population increased from 23 017 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 24 068 in the first quarter of 2024.
During the same period, the population of male prisoners increased from 22 366 to 23 401. The number of female prisoners increased from 651 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 667 in the first quarter of 2024,” read the ZimStat report.

ZimStat said from those who were in prison during the first quarter of the year, 18 736 were sentenced, while 5 332 were on remand. It said young people between the ages of 25 and 29 constituted the majority of inmates followed by the 20 to 24 age group.

The crime rate decreases for those who are 30 years of age and above. ZimStat stated that most of the new prisoners were employed before incarceration with most inmates being jailed for theft cases.

“The majority of new prisoners reported that they were employed before admission (54,5 percent). Male prisoners who were employed constituted 55,6 percent of the new male prisoner population. The share of female prisoners who reported that they were unemployed before their admission to prison was 59,5 percent,” said ZimStat.

“Most of the new prisoners were admitted into prison for committing theft (23 percent), assault (17,9 percent), burglary (9,3 percent), robbery without firearms (6,5 percent) and other criminal acts not elsewhere classified (5,4 percent).

“The crimes that led to the imprisonment of female prisoners were mostly theft (24,5 percent), assault (14,2 percent), migration-related offences (13,7 percent), drug-related offences (6,1 percent) and burglary (5,5 percent).”
ZimStat said 26,1 percent of the crimes that led to the imprisonment of male prisoners aged 65 and above were on rape. — @nqotshili