4512.0 - Corrective Services, Australia, Mar 2008
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 19/06/2008
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS The average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2008 was 26,359. This was a decrease of less than 1% on the December quarter 2007, and an increase of 2% from the March quarter 2007. Rates per 100,000 adults Nationally, the March quarter 2008 average daily imprisonment rate was 163 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, a decrease of less than 1% from the March quarter 2007 (163 prisoners). The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (580 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (233) and New South Wales (180). The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (72 and 102 prisoners per 100,000 adults respectively). The largest proportional increase in imprisonment rates from the March quarter 2007 was recorded in South Australia (8%). The largest proportional decrease over the same period was recorded in Queensland (6%). Sex Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2008, 24,506 (93%) were male and 1,853 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 307 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population, while for females it was 23 prisoners per 100,000 adult female population. Males were almost 14 times more likely to be in prison than females. Indigenous Prisoners The average daily number of full-time Indigenous adult prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2008 was 6,507, comprising 5,938 (91%) males and 569 (9%) females. Almost 78% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in New South Wales (2,028), Western Australia (1,551) and Queensland (1,466). The national average daily Indigenous imprisonment rate in the March quarter 2008 was 2,157 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, a decrease of less than 1% from the previous quarter and an increase of less than 1% from the March quarter 2007. The highest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Western Australia (3,554 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by South Australia (2,407) and New South Wales (2,363). The largest proportional increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate from the March quarter 2007 was recorded in South Australia (16%). Different age profiles of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population can affect the imprisonment rate numbers. The quarterly collection is unable to take age into account; however, data from the Prisoner Census collection can provide this level of detail. The national age standardised Indigenous imprisonment rate from the annual Prisoner Census conducted at June 2007 was over 13 times higher (1,787 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population) than the rate for non-Indigenous persons (134 per 100,000 adult non-Indigenous population). Further information on the comparison of imprisonment rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations can be found in Prisoners in Australia 2007 (cat.no.4517.0). Type of full-time custody The average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody in the March quarter 2008 was 20,147 (76% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 6,212 (24%) prisoners. In the March quarter 2008, all prisoners held in full-time custody in the Australian Capital Territory were in secure custody. Of the other states and territories, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody (90%, 90% and 89% respectively). New South Wales (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) had the lowest proportion of prisoners in secure full-time custody (62%). Legal status The average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month in the March quarter 2008 was 26,268, comprising an average of 19,882 (76%) sentenced and 6,386 (24%) unsentenced prisoners. Sentenced prisoners decreased by 2% from the previous quarter and increased by less than 1% from the March quarter 2007. The average number of unsentenced prisoners on the first day of the month increased by 5% from the previous quarter and increased by 7% from the March quarter 2007. The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and South Australia had the highest proportions of unsentenced prisoners (44% and 34% respectively). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Victoria and Western Australia (both 19%). Sentenced Prisoner Receptions There were 6,885 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the March quarter 2008. The number of sentenced receptions decreased by 140 (2%) from the December quarter 2007, and increased by 482 (8%) from the March quarter 2007. Periodic detention Periodic detention is a form of custody or order where a sentenced prisoner is required to be held in custody on a part-time basis. This type of custody order is only used in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. During the March quarter 2008, there was an average daily number of 696 persons in New South Wales and 43 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detainees decreased by 10% in New South Wales, and decreased by 21% in the Australian Capital Territory from the December quarter 2007 to the March quarter 2008. Federal prisoners In the March quarter 2008, there were 670 federal prisoners in Australia, an increase of 25 (4%) from the March quarter 2007. More than half (397) of these federal prisoners were sentenced in New South Wales. PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS Community-based corrections orders are non-custodial orders served under the authority of adult corrective services agencies and include restricted movement, fine option, community service, parole, bail, and sentenced probation. Unless otherwise specified figures are based on first day of the month. In the March quarter 2008, there were 54,185 persons in community-based corrections in Australia, an increase of less than 1% (362 persons) from the December quarter 2007 and an increase of 5% (2,498 persons) from the March quarter 2007. Sex Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia in the March quarter 2008, 44,189 (82%) were male and 9,917 (18%) were female. Rates per 100,000 adults Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 334 persons per 100,000 adult population for the March quarter 2008. This was an increase of 3% from the March quarter 2007 (325 persons per 100,000 adults). The largest increase from the March quarter 2007 was recorded in Queensland (11%). The largest decreases were recorded in Tasmania and the Northern Territory (both 9%). In the March quarter 2008, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 554 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 121 females per 100,000 adult female population. Males were almost five times more likely to be in community-based corrections than females. Type of orders In the March quarter 2008, there were 11,518 persons serving parole orders following a period of imprisonment, an increase of 5% from the December quarter 2007. More than three quarters (79%) of persons serving parole orders were located in three states: New South Wales (4,161 persons), Queensland (3,420) and Victoria (1,476). The largest proportional increase in parole orders from the December quarter 2007 was recorded in Queensland (12%), followed by Western Australia (9%). For this same period, there were 33,262 persons under sentenced probation and 9,685 persons serving community service orders. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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