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Swiss prison inmate numbers remain below pandemic level

Food served through a prison door hatch
Swiss prisons continue to house fewer inmates than before the Covid-19 pandemic. © Keystone / Christian Beutler

The number of people behind bars in Switzerland last year - 6,445 - remained at roughly the same level as in 2021 but was 7% lower than in 2019.

Swiss prisons continue to house fewer inmates than before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Federal Statistical Office (FSO) numbers released on Monday.

Although the total number of inmates increased by 2% year-on-year, there were 13% fewer new arrivals in 2022 than in 2021.

Several prisons in the eastern part of the country have either been closed down or changed in function, the FSO notes.

This meant the number of inmates rose in prisons in western and central parts of Switzerland.

Of the 6,445 inmates, 30% were in pre-trial detention of were incarcerated to prevent crimes.

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