Corrective Services, Australia

Latest release

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

Reference period
December Quarter 2023
Released
14/03/2024
  • Next Release 6/06/2024
    Corrective Services, Australia, March Quarter 2024
  • Next Release 19/09/2024
    Corrective Services, Australia, June Quarter 2024
  • Next Release 28/11/2024
    Corrective Services, Australia, September Quarter 2024
  • View all releases

Key statistics

  • 42,274 persons were in custody in the December quarter 2023, stable since the September quarter 2023
  • There were 16,131 unsentenced prisoners, stable for the quarter
  • 81,760 persons were serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, up 1% (412 persons) from the September 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 42,274 (average daily number) prisoners:

  • stable from 42,215 in the September quarter 2023
  • up 3% from 41,029 in the December quarter 2022

(a) Based on average daily number.

Imprisonment rates

The imprisonment rate was 203 persons per 100,000 adult population:

  • down from 204 persons in the September quarter 2023
  • up from 202 persons in the December quarter 2022

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

Sex

Of all prisoners:

  • 93% (39,116) were male
  • 7% (3,158) were female

The imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 381 persons per 100,000 adult male population, down from 383 persons last quarter.

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

Type of custody

Of all prisoners:

  • 84% (35,386) were in secure custody
  • 16% (6,888) were in open custody

Legal status

16,131 (38%) of the 42,304 prisoners (first day of the month) were unsentenced:

  • down from 16,182 in the September quarter 2023
  • up from 15,515 in the December quarter 2022

26,075 (62%) of the 42,304 prisoners (first day of the month) were sentenced, up from:

  • 25,913 in the September quarter 2023
  • 25,565 in the December quarter 2022

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

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners

There were 14,463 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, up from:

  • 14,183 in the September quarter 2023
  • 13,197 in the December quarter 2022

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,549 persons per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from:

  • 2,500 in the September quarter 2023
  • 2,383 in the December quarter 2022

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for male prisoners was 4,683 persons per 100,000 adult male Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 4,584 persons last quarter.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for female prisoners was 473 persons per 100,000 adult female Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from 472 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 prisoners

There were 1,299 federal sentenced prisoners, up from:

  • 1,170 in the September quarter 2023
  • 1,094 in the December quarter 2022

Prisoner receptions

The total number of prisoner receptions was 17,260, up from:

  • 17,200 in the September quarter 2023
  • 16,805 in the December quarter 2022

(a) Total number of prisoner receptions.

Prisoner releases

The total number of prisoner releases was 17,278, up from:

  • 16,779 in the September quarter 2023
  • 16,964 in the December quarter 2022

(a) Total number of prisoner releases.

Community-based corrections

Persons in community-based corrections

There were 81,760 persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 81,348 in the September quarter 2023
  • 78,927 in the December quarter 2022

(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 392 persons per 100,000 adult population: 

  • down from 393 in the September quarter 2023
  • up from 389 in the December quarter 2022

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

Sex

Of all persons serving CBC orders:

  • 81% (65,868) were male
  • 19% (15,855) were female

The rate for male persons serving CBC orders was 642 persons per 100,000 adult male population, down from 645 persons last quarter.

The rate for female persons serving CBC orders was 149 persons per 100,000 adult female population, stable since last quarter.

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

There were 20,735 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders, up from:

  • 20,186 in the September quarter 2023
  • 18,958 in the December quarter 2022

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

Type of community-based corrections orders

There were 57,175 Sentenced probation orders, up from:

  • 56,725 in the September quarter 2023
  • 54,339 in the December quarter 2022

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

There were 17,538 Parole orders:

  • up from 17,413 in the September quarter 2023
  • down from 17,803 in the December quarter 2022

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

There were 12,914 Community service orders, up from:

  • 12,881 in the September quarter 2023
  • 12,405 in the December quarter 2022

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

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

Data downloads

Corrective Services datacubes

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 4512.0.

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