4512.0 - Corrective Services, Australia, Jun 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/09/2009   
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES

Based on first day of the month averages, for the June quarter 2009, there were 84,700 persons under the authority of corrective services (excluding those in periodic detention). The total comprised 28,334 persons in full-time custody and 56,366 persons in community-based corrections. This represents an increase of 4% (3,198 persons) from the June quarter 2008. Over the same period, persons in full-time custody increased by 6% (1,694 persons) and persons in community-based corrections increased by 3% (1,504 persons).


Number of prisoners

During the June quarter 2009, the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia was 28,409 persons. This was an increase of 3% from the March quarter 2009, and of 6% on the June quarter 2008.

PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Average daily number per month
Graph: Persons in prison custody, average daily number per month



Number of persons in community-based corrections

Community-based corrections orders are non-custodial orders served under the authority of adult corrective services agencies and include restricted movement, reparations (fine options and community service) and supervision orders (parole, bail, and sentenced probation). Quarterly averages are based on first day of the month figures. In the June quarter 2009, there were 56,366 persons in community-based corrections in Australia based on first day of the month averages, an increase of less than 1% (277 persons) from the March quarter 2009.

PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS, Average number on the first day of the month
Graph: PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS, Average number on the first day of the month



PERSONS IN CUSTODY

Rates per 100,000 adults

Nationally, the June quarter 2009 average daily imprisonment rate was 171 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase of 4% from the June quarter 2008 (164 prisoners). The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (677 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (252) and New South Wales (192).

The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (62 and 104 prisoners per 100,000 adult population respectively).

The Northern Territory recorded the largest proportional increase in imprisonment rates from the June quarter 2008 (15%). The largest proportional decrease over the same period was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (10%).

AVERAGE DAILY IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By states and territories
Graph: Average daily imprisonment rate, by state and territory



Sex

Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the June quarter 2009, 26,364 (93%) were male and 2,046 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 321 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population, while for females it was 24 prisoners per 100,000 adult female population. Males were 13 times more likely to be in prison than females.


Type of full-time custody

The average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody in the June quarter 2009 was 21,758 (77% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 6,651 prisoners (23%).

Victoria and Tasmania had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody (both 90%) of those in full-time custody, followed by Queensland and South Australia (both 89%). The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) had the lowest proportion of prisoners in secure full-time custody (45%).


Legal status

The average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month in the June quarter 2009 was 28,334, comprising an average of 21,685 (77%) sentenced and 6,649 (23%) unsentenced prisoners. Sentenced prisoners increased by 4% from the previous quarter and by 8% from the June quarter 2008.

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 2% from the previous quarter and increased by 3% from the June quarter 2008. The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and South Australia had the highest proportions of unsentenced prisoners (42% and 34% respectively). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Western Australia (18%), Queensland and Victoria (both 20%).

PROPORTION OF UNSENTENCED PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY (a), Per month
Graph: Unsentenced persons in prison custody, proportion per month



Sentenced Prisoner Receptions

There were 7,705 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the June quarter 2009. This number increased by 450 (6%) from the March quarter 2009, and increased by 266 (4%) from the June quarter 2008.


Periodic detention

Periodic detention is a form of custody or order where a sentenced prisoner is required to be held in custody on a part-time basis. This type of custody order is only used in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. During the June quarter 2009 there was an average daily number of 799 persons in New South Wales and 45 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detainees increased by 10% in New South Wales, and decreased by 12% in the Australian Capital Territory from the March quarter 2009.


Federal prisoners

In the June quarter 2009, there were 705 federal sentenced prisoners in Australia based on first day of the month figures, an increase of 3% from the June quarter 2008. More than half (410) of the federal prisoners were sentenced in New South Wales.


Indigenous prisoners

The average daily number of full-time Indigenous adult prisoners in Australia in the June quarter 2009 was 7,261, comprising 6,652 (92%) males and 608 (8%) females. Indigenous prisoners represented 26% of the total full-time prisoner population in the June quarter 2009. The total Indigenous population aged 18 years and over at 30 June 2009 was 2% of the Australian population.

Over 75% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in New South Wales (2,296), Western Australia (1,725) and Queensland (1,581).

AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), Per month
Graph: Average Daily Indigenous imprisonment rate, per month


The national average daily Indigenous imprisonment rate in the June quarter 2009 was 2,343 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, an increase of 3% from the previous quarter, and a 7% increase from the June quarter 2008.

The highest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Western Australia (3,846 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by New South Wales (2,617) and South Australia (2,472). The lowest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Tasmania (619), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (945).

AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By states and territories
Graph: Average Daily Indigenous imprisonment rate, by state and territory


The largest proportional increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate from the June quarter 2008 was recorded in the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory (both 15%) (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners in New South Wales prisons). Victoria was the only state to record a proportional decrease (3%) over the same period.

Different age profiles of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population can affect the imprisonment rate numbers. The quarterly collection is unable to take age into account; however, data from the Prisoner Census collection can provide this level of detail.

The national age standardised Indigenous imprisonment rate from the annual Prisoner Census conducted at June 2008 was over 13 times higher (1,769 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population) than the rate for non-Indigenous persons (133 per 100,000 adult non-Indigenous population). Further information on the comparison of imprisonment rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations can be found in
Prisoners in Australia, 2008 (cat.no.4517.0).


PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS

Rates per 100,000 adults

Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 338 persons per 100,000 adult population for the June quarter 2009 based on first day of the month figures. This was an increase of less than 1% from the June quarter 2008 (337 persons per 100,000 adults). The largest increase from the June quarter 2008 was recorded in Tasmania (7%). The largest decrease was recorded in the Northern Territory (5%).

COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), Per month
Graph: Community-based corrections rate, per month


COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), By states and territories
Graph: Community-based corrections rate, by state and territory



Sex

Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia in the June quarter 2009, 46,100 (82%) were male and 10,178 (18%) were female.

In the June quarter 2009, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 561 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 120 females per 100,000 adult female population. Males were almost five times more likely to be in community-based corrections than females.


Type of orders

In the June quarter 2009, there were 12,363 persons on parole following a period of imprisonment, a decrease of 3% from the March quarter 2009. Three states accounted for 79% of persons serving parole orders: New South Wales (4,201 persons), Queensland (4,048) and Victoria (1,470). The largest proportional decrease in parole orders from the March quarter 2009 was recorded in Western Australia (5%), while the largest proportional increase was recorded in Tasmania (7%).

For this same period, there were 34,310 persons under sentenced probation and 10,347 persons serving community service orders.