Corrective Services, Australia

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National and state information about adult prisoners and community based corrections, including legal status, custody type, Indigenous status, sex

Reference period
March Quarter 2024
Released
6/06/2024

Key statistics

  • 43,305 persons were in custody in the March quarter 2024, up 2% (1,031 persons) since the December quarter 2023
  • There were 16,903 unsentenced prisoners, up 5% (772 persons) for the quarter
  • 81,081 persons were serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, down 1% (679 persons) since the December quarter 2023

Persons in custody

There were 43,305 (average daily number) prisoners, up:

  • 2% from 42,274 in the December quarter 2023
  • 4% from 41,833 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average daily number.

Imprisonment rates

The imprisonment rate was 206 persons per 100,000 adult population, up from:

  • 203 persons in the December quarter 2023
  • 205 persons in the March quarter 2023

(a) Rate is the number of prisoners per 100,000 adult population. Based on average daily number.

Sex

Of all prisoners:

  • 92% (39,996) were male
  • 8% (3,309) were female

The imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 387 persons per 100,000 adult male population, up from 381 persons last quarter.

The imprisonment rate for female prisoners was 31 persons per 100,000 adult female population, up from 30 persons last quarter.

Type of custody

Of all prisoners:

  • 84% (36,553) were in secure custody
  • 16% (6,752) were in open custody

Legal status

16,903 (39%) of the 43,021 prisoners (first day of the month) were unsentenced, up from:

  • 16,131 in the December quarter 2023
  • 16,158 in the March quarter 2023

26,020 (61%) of the 43,021 prisoners (first day of the month) were sentenced:

  • down from 26,075 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 25,367 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in custody

There were 15,070 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (accounting for 35% of all prisoners), up from:

  • 14,463 in the December quarter 2023
  • 13,716 in the March quarter 2023

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,591 persons per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from:

  • 2,549 in the December quarter 2023
  • 2,418 in the March quarter 2023

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 4,733 persons per 100,000 adult male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 4,683 persons last quarter.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for female prisoners was 504 persons per 100,000 adult female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 473 persons last quarter.

(a) Rate is the number of prisoners per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Based on average daily number.

Federal sentenced persons in custody

There were 1,124 federal sentenced prisoners:

  • down from 1,299 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 1,092 in the March quarter 2023

Prisoner receptions

The total number of prisoner receptions was 18,030, up from:

  • 17,260 in the December quarter 2023
  • 17,336 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Total number of prisoner receptions.

Prisoner releases

The total number of prisoner releases was 16,709:

  • down from 17,278 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 16,155 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Total number of prisoner releases.

Community-based corrections

Persons in community-based corrections

There were 81,081 persons serving CBC orders:

  • down from 81,760 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 79,342 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Rates for persons in community-based corrections

The rate of persons serving CBC orders was 385 persons per 100,000 adult population: 

  • down from 392 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 389 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Rate per 100,000 adult persons for the state/territory of interest.

Sex

Of all persons serving CBC orders:

  • 80% (65,182) were male
  • 20% (15,861) were female

The rate for male persons serving CBC orders was 630 persons per 100,000 adult male population, down from 642 persons last quarter.

The rate for female persons serving CBC orders was 148 persons per 100,000 adult female population, down from 149 persons last quarter.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving community-based corrections orders

There were 20,790 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 20,735 in the December quarter 2023
  • 19,060 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Type of community-based corrections orders

There were 56,622 Sentenced probation orders:

  • down from 57,175 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 54,809 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

There were 17,214 Parole orders, down from:

  • 17,538 in the December quarter 2023
  • 17,666 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

There were 12,856 Community service orders:

  • down from 12,914 in the December quarter 2023
  • up from 12,429 in the March quarter 2023

(a) Based on average number on the first day of the month.

Data downloads

Corrective Services datacubes

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 4512.0.

Methodology

Scope

Persons held in adult corrective services custody or who are serving adult community-based orders in Australia during the reference period. Excludes persons unlawfully absent or in legal custody transferred to another agency.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

Administrative records created and maintained by the state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Collection method

Administrative data collected quarterly from state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable for this release.

History of changes

Not applicable for this release.

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