This paper analyses trends in imprisonment in Slovenia from 2005 to 2014, and compares them with the ones observed
in the rest of Europe. Data were taken from the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics – SPACE I. The primary
results show that Slovenia increased its prison population by 30% during the period under study and, after 2011, the
prison population of Slovenia was increasing, while in the rest of Europe, it was decreasing. Nevertheless, Slovenia still
has one of the lowest prison population rates in Europe, which can be explained mainly by the fact that the average
length of imprisonment is lower in Slovenia than in the rest of Europe. The paper also analyses the evolution of the
structure of the Slovenian prison population in terms of gender, nationality, and type of offence for which prisoners are
convicted. Furthermore, it discusses the influence of legislative changes, the creation of new places for prisoners, and
crime trends on the prison population rate
