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

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Reference period
September Quarter 2023
Released
23/11/2023
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Key statistics

  • 42,215 persons were in custody in the September quarter 2023, stable since the June quarter 2023
  • Unsentenced prisoners were down 1% (166 persons) for the quarter to 16,182
  • 81,348 persons were serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, up 2% (1,364 persons) from the June quarter 2023

There were various government restrictions in place across the states and territories due to COVID-19 from March 2020 to February 2022. The restrictions may have had an impact on criminal activity and the justice system.

Persons in custody

There were 42,215 (average daily number) prisoners:

  • stable since 42,204 in the June quarter 2023
  • up from 40,907 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of persons in custody(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of persons in custody(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 40330 to 44159.
End of interactive chart.

(a) Based on average daily number.

Imprisonment rates

The imprisonment rate was 204 persons per 100,000 adult population:

  • down from 206 persons in the June quarter 2023
  • up from 202 persons in the September quarter 2022

Average daily imprisonment rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Average daily imprisonment rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Bar chart with 3 data series.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying rate. Data ranges from 100.9 to 1127.8.
End of interactive chart.

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

Sex

Of all prisoners:

  • 92% (38,989) were male
  • 8% (3,226) were female

The imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 383 persons per 100,000 adult male population, down from 386 persons last quarter.

The imprisonment rate for female prisoners was 31 persons per 100,000 adult female population, stable since last quarter.

Type of custody

Of all prisoners:

  • 84% (35,261) were in secure custody
  • 16% (6,954) were in open custody

Legal status

38% (16,182) of the 42,188 prisoners (first day of the month) were unsentenced:

  • down from 16,348 in the June quarter 2023
  • up from 15,240 in the September quarter 2022

61% (25,913) of the 42,188 prisoners (first day of the month) were sentenced, up from:

  • 25,788 in the June quarter 2023
  • 25,510 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of unsentenced prisoners(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of unsentenced prisoners(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 13081 to 16348.
End of interactive chart.

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

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners

There were 14,183 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, up from:

  • 14,011 in the June quarter 2023
  • 13,039 in the September quarter 2022

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,500 persons per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from:

  • 2,470 in the June quarter 2023
  • 2,354 in the September quarter 2022

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 4,584 persons per 100,000 adult male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 4,528 persons last quarter.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for female prisoners was 472 persons per 100,000 adult female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 467 persons last quarter.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Bar chart with 3 data series.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying rate. Data ranges from 705.4 to 4023.9.
End of interactive chart.

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

Federal sentenced prisoners

There were 1,170 federal sentenced prisoners, up from:

  • 1,130 in the June quarter 2023
  • 1,084 in the September quarter 2022

Prisoner receptions

The total number of prisoner receptions was 17,200, up from:

  • 16,504 in the June quarter 2023
  • 16,720 in the September quarter 2022

Number of prisoner receptions(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Number of prisoner receptions(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 14624 to 17611.
End of interactive chart.

(a) Total number of prisoner receptions.

Prisoner releases

The total number of prisoner releases was 16,779, up from:

  • 16,511 in the June quarter 2023
  • 16,251 in the September quarter 2022

Number of prisoner releases(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Number of prisoner releases(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 14498 to 17741.
End of interactive chart.

(a) Total number of prisoner releases.

Community-based corrections

Persons in community-based corrections

There were 81,348 persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 79,984 in the June quarter 2023
  • 77,861 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of persons in community-based corrections(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of persons in community-based corrections(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 69765 to 83648.
End of interactive chart.

(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 393 persons per 100,000 adult population, up from:

  • 389 in the June quarter 2023
  • 385 in the September quarter 2022

Community-based corrections rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Community-based corrections rate(a), By states and territories, Sep 2022, Jun 2023 and Sep 2023

Bar chart with 3 data series.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying rate. Data ranges from 192.4 to 748.1.
End of interactive chart.

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

Sex

Of all persons serving CBC orders:

  • 81% (65,658) were male
  • 19% (15,653) were female

The rate for male persons serving CBC orders was 645 persons per 100,000 adult male population, up from 641 persons last quarter.

The rate for female persons serving CBC orders was 149 persons per 100,000 adult female population, up from 146 last quarter.

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

There were 20,186 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 19,561 in the June quarter 2023
  • 18,331 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 14772 to 20186.
End of interactive chart.

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

Type of community-based corrections orders

There were 56,725 Sentenced probation orders, up from:

  • 55,618 in the June quarter 2023
  • 53,643 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of Sentenced probation orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of Sentenced probation orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 42740 to 57550.
End of interactive chart.

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

There were 17,413 Parole orders:

  • up from 17,317 in the June quarter 2023
  • down from 17,572 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of Parole orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of Parole orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 16984 to 18267.
End of interactive chart.

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

There were 12,881 Community service orders, up from:

  • 12,571 in the June quarter 2023
  • 12,258 in the September quarter 2022

Average number of Community services orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Average number of Community services orders(a), Sep 2018 to Sep 2023

Line chart with 21 data points.
The chart has 1 X axis displaying .
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Data ranges from 10527 to 15014.
End of interactive chart.

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

For information about corrective services data, please refer to the Methodology.

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Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 4512.0.

Methodology

Corrective Services, Australia methodology, September Quarter 2023