Entrance to a penitentiary, photo: Julian Stratenschulte / AFP / Profimedia Images
Romania, through the National Penitentiary Administration, reports a number of 25,540 persons customs on August 31, 2025, according to the MIA response to an interpellation by the deputy Daniel-Răzvan Biro.
In the last decade, the number of prisoners has decreased significantly, from over 30,000 in 2014 to approx. 25,000 at present. The genre structure indicates a constant balance, with about 95% men and 5% women each year. Also, the average age has increased from 37 to almost 39 years between 2018 and 2025.
The number of those under preventive arrest increased from 2,514 in 2014 to 3,451 in 2025. People of foreign citizenship represent a small percentage (below 2%), with a slight annual increase after 2018.
The cost of detention in Romania
The estimated cost of daily maintenance in Romania has increased constantly. In 2014 it was 92.76 lei/day, reaching 280.01 lei/day in 2024, it is shown in the MIA answer. This means about 43-57 euros/day depending on the exchange rate, significantly below the European average (64 euros/day). The main expenses are allocated to staff and for goods and services.
The average of the age of prisoners in the penitentiaries in Romania on August 31, 2025 is 38.64 years, registering a constant increase of 2018, when it was 37.08 years.
