SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES

Based on first day of the month averages, for the March quarter 2010, there were 85,594 persons under the authority of corrective services (excluding those in periodic detention). The total comprised 28,852 persons in full-time custody and 56,742 persons in community-based corrections. This represents an increase of 2% (2,033 persons) from the March quarter 2009. Over the same period, persons in full-time custody increased by 5% (1,380 persons) and persons in community-based corrections increased by 1% (653 persons).


Number of prisoners

During the March quarter 2010, the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia was 29,049 persons. This was an increase of less than 1% from the December quarter 2009, and of 5% from the March quarter 2009.

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). In the March quarter 2010, there were 56,742 persons in community-based corrections in Australia based on first day of the month averages, a decrease of 1% (670 persons) from the December quarter 2009.

PERSONS IN CUSTODY

Rates per 100,000 adults

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 Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (676 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (281) and New South Wales (187).

The Australian Capital Territory and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (71 and 106 prisoners per 100,000 adult population respectively).

Western Australia recorded the largest proportional increase in imprisonment rates from the March quarter 2009 (17%). The largest proportional decrease over the same period was recorded in Tasmania (9%).

Sex

Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2010, 26,904 (93%) were male and 2,145 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 320 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population; almost 13 times more than the rate for females (25 female prisoners per 100,000 adult female population).


Type of full-time custody

The average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody in the March quarter 2010 was 21,975 (76% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 7,074 prisoners (24%).

Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody of those in full-time custody (90%, 90% and 89% respectively), followed by Queensland (88%).


Legal status

The average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month in the March quarter 2010 was 28,852, comprising an average of 22,241 (77%) sentenced and 6,610 (23%) unsentenced prisoners. Sentenced prisoners decreased by 1% from the previous quarter and increased by 6% from the March quarter 2009.

Unsentenced prisoners increased by 3% from the previous quarter and increased by 1% from the March quarter 2009. The Australian Capital Territory and South Australia had the highest proportions of unsentenced prisoners (45% and 34% respectively). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Western Australia and Victoria (15% and 19% respectively).

Sentenced prisoner receptions

There were 7,387 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the March quarter 2010; a decrease of 1% (65) from the December quarter 2009, and an increase of 2% (132) from the March quarter 2009.


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 March quarter 2010 there was an average daily number of 843 persons in New South Wales and 55 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detainees decreased by 4% in New South Wales, and by 2% in the Australian Capital Territory from the December quarter 2009.


Federal prisoners

In the March quarter 2010, there were 762 federal sentenced prisoners in Australia based on first day of the month figures, an increase of 9% from the March quarter 2009. More than half (408) 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 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. The total Indigenous population aged 18 years and over at 30 June 2009 was 2% of the Australian population.

Over 77% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in the states of New South Wales (2,281), Western Australia (1,948) and Queensland (1,654).

The national average daily Indigenous imprisonment rate in the March quarter 2010 was 2,311 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, a decrease of 1% from the previous quarter, and a 4% increase from the March quarter 2009.

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 2009 was 14 times higher (1,891 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population) than the rate for non-Indigenous persons (136 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, 2009 (cat.no.4517.0).

The highest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Western Australia (4,310 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by South Australia (2,520) and New South Wales (2,412). The lowest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Tasmania (555), followed by the Australian Capital Territory (1,167).

The largest proportional increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate from the March quarter 2009 was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (16%), followed by Western Australia (13%). Tasmania (6%), South Australia (3%) and the Northern Territory (3%) recorded a proportional decrease over the same period.


PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS

Rates per 100,000 adults

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). The largest increase from the March quarter 2009 was recorded in Tasmania (15%), while the largest decrease was recorded in Western Australia (8%).

Sex

Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia in the March quarter 2010, 46,153 (81%) were male and 10,518 (19%) were female.

In the March quarter 2010, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 549 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 122 females per 100,000 adult female population. The community-based corrections rate for males was more than four times that of females.


Type of orders

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. Three states accounted for over 80% of persons serving parole orders: New South Wales (4,378 or 36%), Queensland (4,194 persons or 35%), and Victoria (1,500 or 12%). The largest proportional decrease in parole orders from the December quarter 2009 was recorded in Western Australia (16%).

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.