ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PRISONERS

Movements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people numbers are influenced by the propensity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to self identify (for further information, refer to Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 65-68). Caution should therefore be exercised when interpreting relevant movements.

At 30 June 2013, there were 8,430 prisoners who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This represented just over one quarter (27%) of the total prisoner population (30,775) and remained consistent with 2012. (Table 2)

At 30 June 2013, the Northern Territory had the highest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (86%). Victoria had the lowest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (7%) (Table 14).




Males comprised 91% (7,657) of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoner population at 30 June 2013, similar to the proportion of non-Indigenous males who accounted for 93% of the non-Indigenous prisoner population. There were 775 female prisoners, comprising 9% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoner population. (Table 4)

The median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners in Australian prisons at 30 June 2013 was 30.8 years, 4.5 years lower than the median age for non-Indigenous prisoners (35.3 years). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males had a median age of 30.7 years and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females, 31.6 years. In contrast, the median age of male and female non-Indigenous prisoners was higher at 35.2 and 36.6 years respectively (Table 22).

The largest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (21%) was in the 25 to 29 year age group. For non-Indigenous prisoners, the age groups with the highest proportion of prisoners were 30 to 34 years, and 25 to 29 years (both 17%) (Table 22).