4517.0 - Prisoners in Australia, 2014 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/12/2014   
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ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PRISONERS

At 30 June 2014:

    • There were 9,264 prisoners in Australian prisons who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which was a 10% increase (834 prisoners) from 30 June 2013 (8,430 prisoners). This is the highest number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners since 2004. (Table 2)

    • The proportion of prisoners identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander varied from 8% in Victoria (474 prisoners) to 86% in the Northern Territory (1,279 prisoners). (Table 13)

    • The most common offence/charge for which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners were in custody was acts intended to cause injury (35% or 3,220 prisoners) followed by unlawful entry with intent (15% or 1,415 prisoners). The most common offences/charges for which non-Indigenous prisoners were in custody were acts intended to cause injury (16% or 3,827 prisoners) and illicit drug offences (16% or 3,835 prisoners). (Table 1)

    • Just over three in four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (77% or 7,115 prisoners) had been imprisoned under sentence previously, compared to just over half of non-Indigenous prisoners (52% or 12,656 prisoners). (Table 8)
Graph Image for PRISONERS, Indigenous status

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


Graph Image for PROPORTION OF PRISONERS, Indigenous status by selected most serious offence or charge(a), 30 June 2014

Footnote(s): (a) For a definition of most serious offence/charge, see Explanatory Notes, paragraphs 78–80. (b) Offences against justice procedures, government security and operations.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia