Corrective Services, Australia

Latest release

National and state information about adult prisoners and community-based corrections, including legal status, custody type, Indigenous status and sex.

Reference period
December Quarter 2024
Released
13/03/2025
  • Next Release 12/06/2025
    Corrective Services, Australia, March Quarter 2025
  • Next Release 18/09/2025
    Corrective Services, Australia, June Quarter 2025
  • Next Release 27/11/2025
    Corrective Services, Australia, September Quarter 2025
  • View all releases

Key statistics

  • 44,262 persons were in custody in the December quarter 2024, down 54 persons since the September quarter 2024, but up 1,988 persons (5%) from the December quarter 2023
  • There were 17,774 unsentenced prisoners, down 82 persons from the September quarter 2024
  • There were 82,832 persons serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, up 1% (874 persons) from the September quarter 2024

Persons in custody

There were 44,262 (average daily number) prisoners:

  • down from 44,316 in the September quarter 2024
  • up 5% from 42,274 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average daily number.

Imprisonment rates

The imprisonment rate was 207 persons per 100,000 adult population: 

  • down from 208 persons in the September quarter 2024
  • up from 203 persons in the December quarter 2023

(a) Rate is the number of prisoners per 100,000 adult population. Based on average daily number.

Sex

Of all prisoners:

  • 92% (40,835) were male
  • 8% (3,426) were female

The imprisonment rate for:

  • males was 388 persons per 100,000 adult male population, down from 390 persons last quarter
  • females was 32 persons per 100,000 adult female population, stable since last quarter

 

Type of custody

Of all prisoners:

  • 84% (37,275) were in secure custody
  • 16% (6,987) were in open custody

 

Legal status

26,530 (60%) of the 44,396 prisoners (first day of the month) were sentenced, up from:

  • 26,359 in the September quarter 2024
  • 26,075 in the December quarter 2023

17,774 (40%) of the 44,396 prisoners (first day of the month) were unsentenced:

  • down from 17,856 in the September quarter 2024
  • up from 16,131 in the December quarter 2023

 

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in custody

There were 15,901 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, up from:

  • 15,711 in the September quarter 2024
  • 14,463 in the December quarter 2023

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,733 persons per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from:

  • 2,701 in the September quarter 2024
  • 2,549 in the December quarter 2023

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for:

  • males was 5,001 persons per 100,000 adult male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 4,930 persons last quarter
  • females was 526 persons per 100,000 adult female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, down from 530 persons last quarter.

(a) Rate is the number of prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Based on average daily number.

Federal sentenced persons in custody

There were 1,172 federal sentenced prisoners:

  • up from 1,163 in the September quarter 2024
  • down from 1,299 in the December quarter 2023

Prisoner receptions

The total number of prisoner receptions was 18,968, up from:

  • 18,093 in the September quarter 2024
  • 17,260 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Total number of prisoner receptions.

Prisoner releases

The total number of prisoner releases was 18,390, up from:

  • 18,320 in the September quarter 2024
  • 17,278 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Total number of prisoner releases.

Community-based corrections

Persons in community-based corrections

There were 82,832 persons serving CBC orders, up from: 

  • 81,958 in the September quarter 2024
  • 81,760 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Rates for persons in community-based corrections

The rate of persons serving CBC orders was 387 persons per 100,000 adult population: 

  • up from 384 in the September quarter 2024
  • down from 392 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Rate per 100,000 adult persons for the state/territory of interest.

Sex

Of all persons serving CBC orders:

  • 80% (66,590) were male
  • 20% (16,209) were female

The rate of persons serving CBC orders for:

  • males was 633 persons per 100,000 adult male population, up from 628 persons last quarter
  • females was 149 persons per 100,000 adult female population, stable since last quarter

 

Type of community-based corrections orders

There were 57,789 Sentenced probation orders, up from:

  • 57,238 in the September quarter 2024
  • 57,175 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

There were 17,899 Parole orders, up from: 

  • 17,395 in the September quarter 2024
  • 17,538 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

There were 12,986 Community service orders, up from:

  • 12,887 in the September quarter 2024
  • 12,914 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving community-based corrections orders

There were 22,148 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 21,701 in the September quarter 2024
  • 20,735 in the December quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving community-based corrections orders, type of orders

There were 15,226 Sentenced probation orders, up from:

  • 14,875 in the September quarter 2024
  • 14,140 in the December quarter 2023

There were 5,340 Parole orders, up from:

  • 5,110 in the September quarter 2024
  • 4,914 in the December quarter 2023

There were 2,989 Community service orders, down from:

  • 3,023 in the September quarter 2024
  • 3,061 in the December quarter 2023

Data downloads

Corrective Services datacubes

Data files

Methodology

Scope

Persons held in adult corrective services custody or who are serving adult community-based orders in Australia during the reference period. Excludes persons unlawfully absent or in legal custody transferred to another agency.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

Administrative records created and maintained by the state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Collection method

Administrative data collected quarterly from state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable for this release. 

History of changes

Not applicable for this release. 

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