Prisoners in Australia

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners increased by 3% (396) to 13,126.  This was the second largest annual numerical increase for any of the states and territories.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence/charge:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 12% (368)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 5% (102)
• Unlawful entry with intent, down 11% (84)
• Offences against justice, down 6% (77)

The imprisonment rate increased by 3%, up from 200 to 206 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by 3% (366) to 12,259.  Female prisoners increased by 4% (32) to 868.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by 8% (262) to 3,597:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 14% (163)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 13% (41)

Sentenced prisoners decreased by less than 1% (32) to 8,554.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 9% (149)
• Unlawful entry with intent, down 20% (109)
• Offences against justice, down 6% (79)
• Traffic and vehicle regulatory offences, up 87% (67)

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 10% (426) to 4,574:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 15% (223)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 19% (103).

Prisoners with prior imprisonment increased by 3% (232) to 7,062.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment also increased by 3% (155) to 6,051.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners increased by 1% (99) to 7,248.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence/charge:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 15% (207)
• Robbery, extortion and related offences, down 18% (87)
• Unlawful entry with intent, down 5% (39)

The imprisonment rate increased by 2%, up from 136 to 139 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by 1% (89) to 6,837.  Female prisoners increased by 2% (8) to 409.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by 6% (46) to 768.

Sentenced prisoners decreased by 13% (603) to 4,061:

• Acts intended to cause injury, down 16% (114)
• Robbery, extortion and related offences, down 22% (75)
• Unlawful entry with intent, down 12% (64)
• Sexual assault and related offences, down 7% (60)

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 28% (704) to 3,183:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 45% (320)
• Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, up 44% (61)
• Illicit drug offences, up 14% (61)

Prisoners with prior imprisonment increased by 6% (200) to 3,826.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment decreased by 3% (102) to 3,419.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners increased by 15% (1,295) to 9,952.  This was the largest annual increase, both numerically and proportionally, of any of the states and territories.  The largest increases by most serious offence/charge were:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 25% (496)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 16% (163)
• Illicit drug offences, up 12% (155)
• Offences against justice, up 24% (124)

The imprisonment rate increased by 14%, up from 218 to 248 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by 14% (1,134) to 9,028.  Female prisoners increased by 21% (162) to 928.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by 15% (441) to 3,479.  Acts intended to cause injury made up over half of this increase, up 23% (235).

Sentenced prisoners increased by 13% (801) to 6,872.  Unsentenced prisoners increased by 20% (496) to 3,030.

Prisoners with prior imprisonment increased by 14% (838) to 6,797.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment increased by 17% (461) to 3,157.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners increased by 4% (119) to 3,105.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence/charge:

• Sexual assault and related offences, up 16% (68)
• Offences against justice, down 14% (59)
• Illicit drug offences, up 15% (48)

The imprisonment rate increased by 4%, up from 214 to 221 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by 4% (111) to 2,869.  Female prisoners increased by 3% (8) to 243.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by 6% (43) to 744.

Sentenced prisoners decreased by less than 1% (7) to 1,714.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence:

• Unlawful entry with intent, down 20% (41)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 13% (41)
• Acts intended to cause injury, down 13% (33)

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 11% (135) to 1,384.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious charge:

• Offences against justice, down 32% (77)
• Acts intended to cause injury, up 15% (58)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 40% (38)

Prisoners with prior imprisonment increased by 2% (37) to 1,735.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment increased by 6% (79) to 1,371.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners decreased for the second successive year, down by 1% (54) to 6,716.   This decrease was driven by:

• Unlawful entry with intent, down 5% (48)
• Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, down 10% (46)
• Illicit drug offences, down 2% (31)

The imprisonment rate decreased by 1%, down from 330 to 326 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by less than 1% (24) to 6,079.  Female prisoners decreased by 10% (75) to 641.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners were relatively stable since last year at 2,664 prisoners.

Sentenced prisoners decreased by 5% (267) to 4,632:

• Unlawful entry with intent, down 9% (70)
• Dangerous or negligent acts endangering person, down 16% (59)
• Illicit drug offences, down 4% (41)

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 12% (212) to 2,053:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 11% (65)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 24% (44)

Prisoners with prior imprisonment decreased by 1% (48) to 4,251.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment were relatively stable at 2,466.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners decreased for the second successive year, down by 4% (26) to 642.  This decrease was driven by:

• Robbery, extortion and related offences, down 23% (17)
• Acts intended to cause injury, down 7% (12)
• Dangerous or negligent acts endangering persons, down 29% (10)

The imprisonment rate decreased by 4%, down from 156 to 149 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners decreased by 4% (23) to 587.  Female prisoners decreased by 8% (5) to 54.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners accounted for 152 prisoners (24% of all prisoners).

Sentenced prisoners decreased by 6% (26) to 441.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence:

• Offences against justice, up 159% (35)
• Acts intended to cause injury, down 21% (22)

Unsentenced prisoners remained relatively steady since last year at 195.

Prisoners with prior imprisonment decreased by 3% (15) to 429.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment decreased by 7% (16) to 213.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners increased by 10% (165) to 1,799.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence/charge:

• Acts intended to cause injury, up 29% (199)
• Sexual assault and related offences, up 11% (21)
• Offences against justice, down 10% (20)

The imprisonment rate increased by 9%, up from 887 to 971 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners increased by 9% (138) to 1,676.   Female prisoners increased by 37% (35) to 129.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners increased by 12% (169) to 1,540.

Sentenced prisoners increased by 1% (11) to 1,163.  Unsentenced prisoners increased by 32% (153) to 637.

Prisoners with prior imprisonment increased by 10% (117) to 1,327.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment increased by 11% (45) to 471.

From 30 June 2020 to 30 June 2021, total prisoners decreased for the third successive year, down by 16% (70) to 379.  This was the largest annual decrease, both numerically and proportionally for any of the states and territories.  There were both increases and decreases by most serious offence/charge:

• Acts intended to cause injury, down 40% (53)
• Offences against justice, up 44% (29)
• Robbery, extortion and related offences, down 50% (24)

The imprisonment rate decreased by 16%, down from 135 to 113 prisoners per 100,000 adult population.

Male prisoners decreased by 14% (59) to 354.  Female prisoners decreased by 46% (18) to 21.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners decreased by 16% (18) to 98.

Sentenced prisoners decreased by 12% (33) to 248.  Unsentenced prisoners decreased by 22% (37) to 129.

Prisoners with prior imprisonment decreased by 16% (55) to 294.  Prisoners without prior imprisonment decreased by 21% (21) to 80.