4517.0 - Prisoners in Australia, 2015  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/12/2015   
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ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PRISONER CHARACTERISTICS

Snapshot

At 30 June 2015:
    • There were 9,885 prisoners in Australian prisons who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a 7% increase (620 prisoners) from 30 June 2014 (9,265 prisoners). The number of non-Indigenous prisoners also increased by 7% (1,758 prisoners). (Table 2)


    • The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate increased from 30 June 2014 by 4% from 2,175 to 2,253 prisoners per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. The non-Indigenous rate increased by 6% over the same period from 138 to 146 prisoners per 100,000 non-Indigenous population. (Table 19)

    • The proportion of adult prisoners who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ranged from 8% in Victoria (483 prisoners) to 84% (1,344 prisoners) in the Northern Territory. (Table 13)

Graph Image for PRISONERS, Indigenous status

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • The most common offence/charge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners was acts intended to cause injury (33% or 3,309 prisoners) followed by unlawful entry with intent (15% or 1,506 prisoners). The most common offence/charge for non-Indigenous prisoners were illicit drug offences (17% or 4,453 prisoners) and acts intended to cause injury (17% or 4,333 prisoners). (Table 1)

Graph Image for PROPORTION OF PRISONERS, Indigenous status by selected most serious offence or charge(a), 30 June 2015

Footnote(s): (a) For a definition of most serious offence/charge, see Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 85–87. (b) Offences against justice procedures, government security and operations.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • Just over three out of four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (77% or 7,628 prisoners) had been imprisoned under sentence previously, compared to one in two non-Indigenous prisoners (50% or 13,220 prisoners). (Table 8)