• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

At 30 June 2014:

• There were 33,791 prisoners (sentenced and unsentenced) in Australian prisons, an increase of 9.8% (3,016 prisoners) from 30 June 2013. This brings the total Australian prisoner population to its highest number since 2004. (Table 2)


• The national imprisonment rate was 185.6 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase from 172.2 prisoners per 100,000 adult population in 2013. This is the highest national imprisonment rate since 2004. (Table 2)


• Three-quarters of prisoners (76% or 25,513 prisoners) were under sentence, whilst a quarter (24% or 8,209 prisoners) were unsentenced. (Table 1)


• Three in five prisoners (59% or 19,780 prisoners) had been imprisoned under sentence previously. (Table 1)


• The most common offences/charges for which prisoners were in custody were:
  
  – Acts intended to cause injury (21%)

  – Illicit drug offences (12%)

  – Unlawful entry with intent (12%). (Table 1)

  
  
• Males accounted for 92% of all prisoners (31,200 prisoners) whilst women accounted for 8% (2,591 prisoners). (Table 1)


• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners accounted for just over a quarter (27% or 9,264 prisoners) of the total Australian prisoner population. The total Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population aged 18 years and over in 2014 was approximately 2% of the Australian population aged 18 years and over (based on Australian Demographic Statistics (cat. no. 3101.0) and Estimates and Projections, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2001 to 2026 (cat. no. 3238.0)). (Table 1)