CORRECTIVE SERVICES


PRISONERS IN AUSTRALIA

At 30 June 2009 there were 29,317 prisoners (sentenced and unsentenced) in Australian prisons, an increase of 6% (1,702 prisoners) from 30 June 2008. This represented an imprisonment rate of 175 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, up from 168 prisoners per 100,000 adult population in 2008.

Between the 2008 and 2009 Prisoner Census dates:

• the number of male prisoners increased by 6% (1,534) whilst the number of female prisoners increased by 9% (168);
• the number of Indigenous prisoners increased by 10% (680);
• sentenced prisoners increased by 8% (1,649) and the number of unsentenced prisoners increased by 1% (53).

About the release

The Prisoners in Australia (cat. no. 4517.0) publication presents national statistics on prisoners who were in the custody of adult corrective services on 30 June 2009. These statistics describe the characteristics of prisoners, their sentence length, the most serious offence/charge for which offenders are imprisoned, and provide a basis for measuring change over time.


CORRECTIVE SERVICES, AUSTRALIA, MARCH QUARTER 2010

Nationally, the March quarter 2010 average daily imprisonment rate was 171 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase of 2% from the March quarter 2009 (167 prisoners).

The average daily number of full-time Indigenous adult prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2010 was 7,613, comprising 6,951 (91%) males and 661 (9%) females. Indigenous prisoners represented 26% of the total full-time prisoner population in the March quarter 2010, increasing by 2% from the December Quarter 2009.

Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 333 persons per 100,000 adult population for the March quarter 2010 based on first day of the month figures. This was a decrease of 2% from the March quarter 2009 (338 persons per 100,000 adults).

In the March quarter 2010, there were 12,103 persons on parole following a period of imprisonment, a decrease of 3% from the December quarter 2009. For this same period, there were 34,195 persons under sentenced probation and 10,617 persons serving community service orders; a decrease of 1% and 2% respectively from the December quarter 2009.


About the release

The Corrective Services, Australia (cat. no.4512.0) publication presents quarterly information on persons in custody and community-based corrections. Details are provided for each state and territory on: prisoner numbers and imprisonment rates by type of custody; prisoner numbers by legal status for all prisoners and for Indigenous prisoners; the number of sentenced receptions into custody; the number of federal prisoners; and the numbers and rates of persons serving community-based corrections orders.