SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES

Number of prisoners

In the June quarter 2014, the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia was 34,034 persons. This was an increase of:

• 3,222 persons (10%) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 788 persons (2%) from the March quarter 2014. (Table 1)

However, there was a monthly decrease between May (34,143) and June 2014 (33,991). (Table 2)



Number of 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, reparations (fine options and community service) and supervision orders (parole, bail, and sentenced probation).

In the June quarter 2014, there were 56,110 persons serving community-based corrections, based on first day of the month averages. This was an increase of 2,078 persons (4%) from the June quarter 2013. (Table 1)



PERSONS IN CUSTODY

Rates per 100,000 adults

Nationally, the June quarter 2014 average daily imprisonment rate was 188 prisoners per 100,000 adult population. The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (850 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (264 prisoners per 100,000 adult population).

The Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania had the lowest imprisonment rates (113 and 117 prisoners per 100,000 adult population respectively).

Between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory recorded the largest increases in imprisonment rates (26 and 22 prisoners per 100,000 adult population respectively). The Northern Territory was the only jurisdiction to record a decrease in imprisonment rates (10 prisoners per 100,000 adult population). (Table 3)



Sex

The average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the June quarter 2014 was 31,390 males and 2,644 females. This represents an increase in the average daily number of males in custody of 10% (2,924) and females of 13% (298) from the June quarter 2013.

In the June quarter 2014, the average daily imprisonment rate for males was 351 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population, which was about 12 times the rate for females (29 female prisoners per 100,000 adult female population). (Tables 4 and 5)

Type of full-time custody

In the June quarter 2014, the average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody was 26,575 (78% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 7,459 prisoners (22%).

The jurisdictions with the highest proportion of prisoners in secure prison custody were Tasmania (97% or 454 persons) and the Australian Capital Territory (97% or 331 persons). (Table 6)

Legal status

During the June quarter 2014, the average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month was 34,005, comprising 25,261 (74%) sentenced and 8,744 (26%) unsentenced prisoners.

Sentenced prisoners increased by:

• 9% (2,107 persons) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 2% (491 persons) from the March quarter 2014.

Unsentenced prisoners increased by:

• 14% (1,085 persons) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 5% (455 persons) from the March quarter 2014.

Of their respective prison populations, South Australia (35% or 885 persons) and the Northern Territory (30% or 465 persons) had the highest proportions of unsentenced prisoners. The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Victoria (18% or 1,109 persons) and Tasmania (21% or 99 persons). (Table 8)



Sentenced prisoner receptions

In the June quarter 2014, there were 9,103 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time prison custody in Australia. This was an increase of:

• 7% (593) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 8% (700) from the March quarter 2014. (Table 10)

Federal prisoners

In the June quarter 2014, there were 822 federal sentenced prisoners in Australia based on first day of the month figures, a decrease of 3% (26 persons) from the June quarter 2013. Just over half (418) of the federal prisoners were sentenced in New South Wales. (Table 12)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners

In the June quarter 2014, the average daily number of full-time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult prisoners in Australia was 9,405, comprising 8,485 (90%) males and 921 (10%) females.

Between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males in custody increased by 9% (731 persons) and females by 18% (142 persons).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners represented 28% of the total full-time prisoner population in the June quarter 2014. The total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 18 years and over at 30 June 2011 was 2% of the Australian population aged 18 years and over.

Three states accounted for approximately 74% of the total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoner population: New South Wales (2,589), Queensland (2,264) and Western Australia (2,077). (Table 13)

In the June quarter 2014, the national average daily Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,208 per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. This was an increase of:

• 143 prisoners per 100,000 adult population from the June quarter 2013, and
• 44 prisoners per 100,000 adult population from the March quarter 2014.

Between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014 the imprisonment rate for males increased by 6% to 4,044 per 100,000 adult male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. The imprisonment rate for females increased by 15% to 426 females per 100,000 adult female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population over the same period.

Based on daily averages, the highest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for the June quarter 2014 was recorded in Western Australia (3,661 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population), followed by the Northern Territory (2,861) and South Australia (2,388).



Between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014, the largest increases in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate were recorded in Queensland (265 prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population) and South Australia (222 prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population). Over the same period, the Northern Territory was the only jurisdiction to record a decrease in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate (47 prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population). (Table 14)

In the June quarter 2014, of the full-time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoner population, 73% (6,897) were sentenced and 27% (2,513) were unsentenced.

Sentenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by:

• 8% (538) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 3% (184) from the March quarter 2014.

Unsentenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by:

• 14% (313) from the June quarter 2013, and
• 2% (60) from the March quarter 2014. (Table 15)

PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS

Rates per 100,000 adults

In the June quarter 2014, the national rate of persons in community-based corrections was 310 persons per 100,000 adult population based on first day of the month figures. This was an increase of 2% from the June quarter 2013 (304 persons per 100,000 adults). (Table 18)





Sex

Based on first day of the month averages, community-based corrections totalled 56,110 persons in the June quarter 2014. Of these, 45,744 (82%) were male and 10,332 (18%) were female. (Table 17)

In the June quarter 2014, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 512 per 100,000 adult male population, compared to 113 females per 100,000 adult female population. (Table 18)

Type of orders

In the June quarter 2014, there were 8,984 persons serving community service orders, an increase of 663 persons (8%) from the June quarter 2013. The largest increase was recorded in Victoria (26% or 169 persons). The largest decrease over this period was recorded in Tasmania (9% or 116 persons).

There were 12,349 persons on parole in the June quarter 2014, a decrease of 217 persons (2%) from the June quarter 2013. The largest decrease in parole orders over this period was recorded in Victoria (28% or 470 persons). The largest increase in parole orders over this period was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (10% or 11 persons). (Table 19)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections

Based on first day of the month averages, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections for the June quarter 2014 was 11,357, a decrease of 251 persons from the June quarter 2013. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders represented 20% of the total number of persons in community-based corrections in the June quarter 2014.

Approximately 76% of the total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based corrections population was located in three states: Queensland (3,682), New South Wales (3,499) and Western Australia (1,403). (Table 20)