Youths make for 80% of Maldives’ prison population

People under the age of 35 years make for a staggering 80 percent of the total prison population in the Maldives, according to Commissioner of Prisons Hassan Zareer.

Zareer made this remark at the inauguration of the Inmates Futsal Tournament 2025 in K. Maafushi last week.

At the inauguration ceremony, Zareer said that roughly 80 percent of the prison population is composed of inmates under the age of 35.

He described them as the future of the Maldives and encouraged them to get rehabilitated and serve their communities.

According to information released by Maldives Correctional Service, most Maldivian convicts are imprisoned on drug offenses, particularly for the possession and usage of drugs. There are also convictions for thefts and robberies to feed drug habits.

The drug crisis remains a longstanding issue in the Maldives, and is linked to multiple social issues.

According to a report published by the Home Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) in 2011, most of the inmates were men of or under the age of 30.

Key findings:

• Most inmates were men aged 30 or under
• 83.3 percent were employed prior to conviction
• 72 percent had education level below O-levels
• 47.9 percent were single
• 58.1 percent did not have children of their own
• 66 percent were convicted on drug offenses, particularly for the usage and possession of small quantities
• 90.1 percent had one or both parents at the time of offense
• 28.8 percent cited family problems one of the major causes for offending
• 52.7 percent returned to prison for a drug offense
• 69.1 percent abused heroin; 63.3 percent abused cannabis

Statistics released by police show an alarming increase in juvenile offenders, with many involved in gang-related crimes and assaults as well as major felonies such as murder.