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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Snapshot

At 30 June 2014:

• The number of adult prisoners in South Australian prisons was 2,488, an increase of 10% (222 prisoners) since 30 June 2013. This was the highest number of prisoners since 2004. (Table 14)


• The adult imprisonment rate was 187.9 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase from 172.8 prisoners per 100,000 adult population at 30 June 2013. This was the highest imprisonment rate since 2004. (Table 18)


• Just under half (49% or 1,223 prisoners) of all prisoners had been imprisoned under sentence previously. (Table 13)


• The most common offence/charge for which prisoners were in custody was acts intended to cause injury (15% or 385 prisoners), followed by offences against justice procedures, government security and operations (13% or 335 prisoners) and sexual assault (13% or 331 prisoners). (Table 15)

At 30 June 2014:

• Males comprised 93% (2,325 prisoners) of the total prisoner population. (Table 13)


• Since 30 June 2013, the male imprisonment rate increased from 329.2 to 357.7 prisoners per 100,000 male adult population. This was the highest male imprisonment rate since 2004. (Table 14)


• For the same period, the female imprisonment rate increased from 22.0 to 24.2 prisoners per 100,000 female adult population. This was the highest female imprisonment rate since 2004. (Table 14)

At 30 June 2014:

• The median age of adult prisoners was 35.4 years of age. (Table 13)


• The proportion of adult prisoners aged under 25 years was 15% (376 prisoners). (Table 20)

At 30 June 2014:

• Overseas-born prisoners accounted for 13% (326 prisoners) of the adult prisoner population. (Table 21)


• The largest proportion of overseas-born prisoners was from the United Kingdom (82 prisoners or 25% of overseas-born prisoners) followed by Vietnam (62 prisoners or 19% of overseas-born prisoners). (Table 21)

At 30 June 2014:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders comprised 23% (562 prisoners) of the adult prisoner population. (Table 13)


• The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander age standardised imprisonment rate was 12 times the non-indigenous age standardised imprisonment rate (2,016.4 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult population compared to 165.3 prisoners per 100,000 adult non-indigenous population). (Table 17)

At 30 June 2014:

• Unsentenced prisoners comprised 35% (868 prisoners) of the adult prisoner population. (Table 13)


• The median time spent on remand by unsentenced prisoners in custody was 2.5 months. Time on remand as reported in the Prisoner Census is time spent on remand as at 30 June 2014, and not the total time on remand. Time on remand is influenced by a number of factors, particularly the time it takes for a case to come before a court. (Table 30)


• The median aggregate sentence length of sentenced prisoners was 4.5 years. (Table 24)

At 30 June 2014, of all states and territories:

• South Australia had the lowest proportion of prisoners that had been imprisoned under sentence previously (49% or 1,223 prisoners). (Table 13)


• The median age of adult female prisoners was highest in South Australia (37.1 years). (Table 13)