4517.0 - Prisoners in Australia, 2015  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/12/2015   
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Sentenced prisoners

At 30 June 2015:

    • There were 26,163 sentenced prisoners in Australian prisons, an increase of 3% (650 prisoners) from 30 June 2014 (25,513 sentenced prisoners). This follows a 9% increase from 30 June, 2013 to 30 June, 2014, which was the largest increase for the decade. (Table 2)

    • The largest increase was recorded in New South Wales (4% or 329 prisoners). Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory were the only state and territory to record a decrease in the number of sentenced prisoners (4% or 187 prisoners and 6% or 19 prisoners respectively). (Table 26)

    • The proportion of prisoners that were sentenced varied from 64% (1,750 sentenced prisoners) in South Australia to 77% (4,786 sentenced prisoners) in Victoria. (Table 13)

    • The median aggregate sentence length for sentenced prisoners was 3.0 years and the median expected time to serve for sentenced prisoners was 1.8 years. (Tables 10 and 11)

    • Close to half of all sentenced prisoners (48% or 12,453) had been sentenced in the previous 12 months. (Table 8)

    • The most common offences for sentenced prisoners were:

      – Acts intended to cause injury (18%)

      – Sexual assault (13%)

      – Illicit drug offences (12%). (Table 1)
Graph Image for SENTENCED PRISONERS, most serious offence(a), 30 June 2015

Footnote(s): (a) For a definition of most serious offence, see Explanatory Notes paragraphs 85-86. (b) Offences against justice procedures, government security and operations. (c) Includes divisions 4-5, 8-9, 11-14 and 16 of the ANZSOC and prisoners whose offence was unknown.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • Acts intended to cause injury was the most common offence for sentenced prisoners in New South Wales (18%), Queensland (19%), Northern Territory (43%) and the Australian Capital Territory (25%). (Table 22)
Graph Image for PROPORTION OF SENTENCED PRISONERS WITH OFFENCE OF ACTS INTENDED(a), States and territories, 30 June 2015

Footnote(s): (a) Most serious offence of acts intended to cause injury. For a definition of most serious offence, see Explanatory Notes paragraphs 85-86.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • Of the 2,392 sentenced prisoners with an offence of homicide, seven out of ten (70% or 1,675 prisoners) had an offence of murder.

Graph Image for SENTENCED PRISONERS WITH A MOST SERIOUS OFFENCE(a) OF HOMICIDE AND RELATED OFFENCES, 30 June 2015

Footnote(s): (a) For a description of most serious offence see Explanatory Notes paragraphs 85-86.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • Of the 3,238 sentenced prisoners with an offence of illicit drug offences, nearly two-thirds (65% or 2,093 prisoners) had an offence of deal or traffic in illicit drugs. (Table 22)

Graph Image for SENTENCED PRISONERS WITH A MOST SERIOUS OFFENCE(a) OF ILLICIT DRUG OFFENCES, 30 June 2015

Footnote(s): (a) For a definition of most serious offence, see Explanatory Notes paragraphs 85-86.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


    • The median aggregate sentence length for sentenced prisoners was highest in South Australia (4.5 years) and lowest in the Northern Territory (1.4 years). (Table 23)

    • The median expected time to serve for sentenced prisoners was highest in South Australia (3.2 years) and lowest in the Northern Territory (1.0 years). (Table 24)