In recent years, Spain has experienced a notable increase in the number of people detained in Spanish prisons. A reality that has generated a broad debate on the challenges posed by the integration and reintegration of these people into the system. Likewise, the migratory pressure had a direct impact inside prison system Spaniards and, since 2020, the number of foreign prisoners has been increasing, reaching figures increasingly close to those of the Spanish prison population. In the Community of MadridThe reality is particularly striking since Foreigners represent a much higher percentage in prisons than in the general populationwhich highlights the integration and security challenges facing the Spanish capital.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) from 2023 reveal that 7,066 prisoners In the prisons of Madrid, a 43.1% are foreignerswhich contrasts with the 20% which represent in the total registered population in the region. This highlights a latent problem regarding the integration of immigrants into the social fabric of Madrid and the challenges faced by both the prison authorities and the security and coexistence policies.
In the Community of Madrid, the 3.4 million inhabitantslisted reflect a worrying reality. Of this population, the 80% are Spanish and 20% foreigners. However, when we look at the prison figures, this proportion is significantly reversed. Of the 7,066 prisoners, 4,024 are Spanishwhich is equivalent to 56.9%while the 3,042 remaining, that is to say the 43.1%They are foreigners. A discrepancy that raises serious questions about the factors that lead to a overrepresentation of the immigrant population in the prison system.
Distribution by gender
A more detailed analysis by gender and nationality offers an even more revealing panorama. From the 6,352 men detainees, 3,665 (57.7%) are Spanishwhile 2,687 (42.3%) are foreigners. On the other hand, of the 714 imprisoned women in Madrid, the 50.3% (359 women) are Spanish and the 49.7% (355) foreigners. These data are particularly striking in the case of women, where The distribution between Spaniards and foreigners is almost equala reality that is not observed in the general population of the region.
