According to the latest reports from the Department of Prisons, the capacity of prisons in Sri Lanka has exceeded by approximately 300%.
The reports reveal that the capacity of remand prisons has surged by 400%. Sri Lanka has 18 remand prisons, with severe overcrowding reported in Magazine Prison, Colombo Remand Prison, and Welikada Prison. Additionally, prisons in Mahara, Galle, Bogambara, and Vavuniya are also facing rising numbers of remand prisoners daily, contributing to worsening conditions.
As of January 2025, the total prison population stood around 28,000, while the authorized capacity is only 10,395.
Against this backdrop, the Department of Prisons reports a shortage of approximately 1,789 prison officers. Although the approved cadre for prison staff is 7,872, the workforce at the end of last year was only 6,083.
According to Commissioner of Prisons Gamini B. Dissanayake, the shortage of officers has disrupted essential operations, such as conducting prison inspections and escorting inmates for court proceedings. He further stated that plans are underway to adopt technological assistance to improve inmate monitoring in the future.
