SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES
Based on first day of the month averages, for the December quarter 2006 there were 77,490 persons under the authority of corrective services (excluding those in periodic detention). The total comprised 25,800 persons in full-time custody and 51,690 persons in community-based corrections. This represents an increase of less than 1% (313 persons) from the December quarter 2005. From the December quarter 2005, persons in full-time custody increased by 7% (1,627 persons) and persons in community-based corrections decreased by 2% (1,314 persons).
PERSONS IN CUSTODY
Number of prisoners
PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Average daily number per month
The average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the December quarter 2006 was 25,759. Across the quarter, the average daily number of full-time prisoners increased in the months of October and November (both 1%), and decreased in the month of December (1%). This resulted in an increase of 2% on the previous quarter and an increase of 7% on the December quarter 2005.
Rates per 100,000 adults
AVERAGE DAILY IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory
Nationally, the December quarter 2006 average daily imprisonment rate was 163 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase of 5% from the December quarter 2005 (155 prisoners). The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (562 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (230) and Queensland (181).
The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (69 and 103 prisoners per 100,000 adults respectively).
The largest proportional increase in imprisonment rates from the December quarter 2005 was recorded in Victoria (9%). The largest proportional decrease over the same period was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) (9%).
Sex
Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the December quarter 2006, 23,930 (93%) were male and 1,829 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 307 prisoners per 100,000 adult male population, while for females it was 23 prisoners per 100,000 adult female population. Males were more than 13 times more likely to be in prison than females.
Indigenous Prisoners
The average daily number of full-time Indigenous adult prisoners in Australia in the December quarter 2006 was 6,185, comprising 5,644 (91%) males and 541 (9%) females. Almost 80% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in New South Wales (1,921), Queensland (1,514) and Western Australia (1,464).
AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), Per month
The national average daily Indigenous imprisonment rate in the December quarter 2006 was 2,160 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, an increase of 7% from the December quarter 2005 and an increase of 2% from the previous quarter.
The highest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Western Australia (3,541 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by New South Wales (2,341).
AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory
The largest proportional increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate from the December quarter 2005 was recorded in the Northern Territory (8%). (There was a large apparent increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate in the Australian Capital Territory, but this was largely as a result of improvements to the identification of Indigenous persons who were previously classified to an unknown status). The largest proportional decrease was in Tasmania (6%).
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 2006 was 13 times higher (1,668 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population) than the rate for non-Indigenous persons (130 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 2006 (cat.no.4517.0).
Type of full-time custody
The average daily number of prisoners in secure prison custody in the December quarter 2006 was 19,659 (76% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 6,100 (24%) prisoners.
In the December quarter 2006, all prisoners held in full-time custody in the Australian Capital Territory were in secure custody. Of the other states and territories, Victoria and South Australia had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody (91% and 89% respectively). New South Wales (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) had the lowest proportion of prisoners in secure full-time custody (62%).
Legal status
The average number of prisoners in full-time custody on the first day of each month in the December quarter 2006 was 25,800, comprising an average of 19,967 (77%) sentenced and 5,833 (23%) unsentenced prisoners. 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 (36% and 33% respectively). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Western Australia (18%) and Victoria (19%).
UNSENTENCED PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Proportion per month
Sentenced Prisoner Receptions
There were 6,339 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the December quarter 2006. The number of sentenced receptions increased by 3 (less than 1%) from the September quarter 2006, and increased by 331 (6%) from the December quarter 2005.
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 December quarter 2006 there was an average daily number of 752 persons in New South Wales and 52 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detainees increased by 2% in New South Wales, and decreased by 5% in the Australian Capital Territory from the September quarter 2006 to the December quarter 2006.
Federal prisoners
In the December quarter 2006, there were 652 federal prisoners in Australia, a decrease of 4 (less than 1%) from the December quarter 2005. More than half (59%) of these federal prisoners were sentenced in New South Wales.
PERSONS IN COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS
Community-based corrections orders are non-custodial orders under the authority of corrective services and include restricted movement, fine option, community service, parole, bail, and sentenced probation. Unless otherwise specified figures are based on first day of the month. In the December quarter 2006, there were 51,690 persons in community-based corrections in Australia, an increase of less than 1% (41 persons) from the September quarter 2006 and a decrease of 2% (1,314 persons) from the December quarter 2005.
Sex
Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia in the December quarter 2006, 42,116 (81%) were male and 9,478 (18%) were female.
Rates per 100,000 adults
Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 327 persons per 100,000 adult population for the December quarter 2006. This was a decrease of 4% from the December quarter 2005 (340 persons per 100,000 adults). The largest increase from the December quarter 2005 was recorded in Tasmania (8%). The largest decreases were recorded in Victoria (17%) and Western Australia (9%).
COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), Per month
COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), By State and Territory
In the December quarter 2006, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 540 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 118 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 December quarter 2006, there were 8,935 persons serving parole orders following a period of imprisonment. Almost three quarters (74%) of persons serving parole orders were located in three states: New South Wales (3,994 persons); Victoria (1,395); and Western Australia (1,192).
For this same period, there were 32,965 persons under sentenced probation and 10,733 persons serving community service orders.
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