Number of prisoners stays steady at just under 7,000
Inmates in Swiss prisons are mostly men, mainly foreign nationals, and are 50% likely to be still awaiting trial, according to annual statistics released by the Federal Statistical Office.
At the end of January 2019, 6,943 adults were being held in Swiss prisons, the FSO reported on MondayExternal link. The figure marks a 1% increase on the previous year and keeps the national rate stable at 81 prisoners per 100,000 residents.
Almost all the inmates were male (6,547); just 396 were women. Around three-quarters were foreign nationals, while almost a half had not yet been sentenced at trial.
As for the institutions themselves, they are operating at 94% of full capacity, the FSO wrote.
And while the numbers of inmates at any one time continues to hover just under the 7,000 mark, the revolving door of new prisoners replacing the released is turning rapidly: over the whole of last year, some 51,500 new entries were recorded, an average of six per hour.
Eight people managed to escape from Swiss jails over the year, of which four were rearrested; 152 prisoners ‘escaped’ from open prisons or workplace schemes.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Why most of Switzerland’s prisoners are not Swiss
This content was published on
Almost three-quarters of all detainees in Swiss prisons are of foreign origin, a study shows. An analysis of the factors behind the numbers.
This content was published on
When compared with many other countries, Switzerland tends to hand down shorter sentences, particularly for violent crime.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.