4517.0 - Prisoners in Australia, 2017 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/12/2017   
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Unsentenced prisoners

At 30 June 2017:
  • There were 12,911 unsentenced prisoners in Australian prisons, an increase of 7% (800 prisoners) from 30 June 2016. This was a smaller increase than the previous two years where increases of more than 20% were recorded. (Table 2)

Graph Image for UNSENTENCED PRISONERS, 30 June 2007 to 30 June 2017

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


  • The proportion of unsentenced prisoners varied from 29% in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania to 39% in the Australian Capital Territory. (Table 14)

Graph Image for PROPORTION OF UNSENTENCED PRISONERS, States and territories, 30 June 2016 and 30 June 2017

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


  • The most common charges for unsentenced prisoners were:
    • Acts intended to cause injury (33%);
    • Illicit drug offences (17%); and
    • Unlawful entry with intent and Sexual assault (both 8%). (Table 1)

Graph Image for UNSENTENCED PRISONERS, Most serious charge(a), 30 June 2017

Footnote(s): (a) For a definition of most serious charge see Explanatory Notes paragraph 86. (b) Includes divisions 1, 4-5, 8-9 and 11-16 of the ANZSOC and prisoners whose offence was unknown.

Source(s): Prisoners in Australia


  • At 30 June 2017, median time on remand for unsentenced prisoners was 3.3 months, up from 2.9 months at 30 June 2016. The median time spent on remand was longest in New South Wales (4.2 months) and shortest in Tasmania (1.4 months). (Table 32 and historical data)