SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
PERSONS IN CORRECTIVE SERVICES
Based on first day of the month averages, for the March quarter 2007 there were 77,481 persons under the authority of corrective services (excluding those in periodic detention). The total comprised 25,801 persons in full-time custody and 51,680 persons in community-based corrections. This represents an increase of less than 1% (712 persons) from the March quarter 2006. From the March quarter 2006, persons in full-time custody increased by 6% (1,404 persons) and persons in community-based corrections decreased by 1% (692 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 March quarter 2007 was 25,968. There was an increase of 1% on the December quarter 2006 and an increase of 6% on the March quarter 2006.
Rates per 100,000 adults
AVERAGE DAILY IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory
Nationally, the March quarter 2007 average daily imprisonment rate was 163 prisoners per 100,000 adult population, an increase of 4% from the March quarter 2006 (157 prisoners). The Northern Territory had the highest imprisonment rate (570 prisoners per 100,000 adult population), followed by Western Australia (230) and Queensland (180).
The Australian Capital Territory (including Australian Capital Territory prisoners held in New South Wales prisons) and Victoria had the lowest imprisonment rates (70 and 103 prisoners per 100,000 adults respectively).
The largest proportional increase in imprisonment rates from the March quarter 2006 was recorded in Victoria (11%). 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) (12%).
Sex
Of the average daily number of full-time prisoners in Australia in the March quarter 2007, 24,117 (93%) were male and 1,851 (7%) were female. The average daily imprisonment rate for males was 308 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 March quarter 2007 was 6,333, comprising 5,771 (91%) males and 562 (9%) females. Almost 80% of the total Indigenous prisoner population was located in New South Wales (1,961), Queensland (1,532) and Western Australia (1,511).
AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), Per month
The national average daily Indigenous imprisonment rate in the March quarter 2007 was 2,155 per 100,000 adult Indigenous population, an increase of 4% from the March quarter 2006 and a decrease of less than 1% from the previous quarter.
The highest Indigenous imprisonment rate was recorded in Western Australia (3,554 Indigenous prisoners per 100,000 adult Indigenous population), followed by New South Wales (2,334).
AVERAGE DAILY INDIGENOUS IMPRISONMENT RATE(a), By State and Territory
The largest proportional increase in the Indigenous imprisonment rate from the March quarter 2006 was recorded in the South Australia (16%). (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).
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 March quarter 2007 was 19,850 (76% of prisoners in full-time custody). Open prison custody comprised 6,118 (24%) prisoners.
In the March quarter 2007, all prisoners held in full-time custody in the Australian Capital Territory were in secure custody. Of the other states and territories, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania had the highest proportion of prisoners in secure custody (91%, 89% 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 March quarter 2007 was 25,801, comprising an average of 19,830 (77%) sentenced and 5,971 (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 (37% and 35% respectively). The lowest proportions of unsentenced prisoners were recorded in Victoria and Western Australia (both 19%).
UNSENTENCED PERSONS IN PRISON CUSTODY, Proportion per month
Sentenced Prisoner Receptions
There were 6,403 sentenced prisoner receptions into full-time custody in Australia in the March quarter 2007. The number of sentenced receptions increased by 64 (1%) from the December quarter 2006, and increased by 472 (8%) from the March quarter 2006.
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 2007 there was an average daily number of 743 persons in New South Wales and 53 persons in the Australian Capital Territory held in periodic detention. The rate of imprisonment for periodic detainees decreased by 1% in New South Wales, and increased by 2% in the Australian Capital Territory from the December quarter 2006 to the March quarter 2007.
Federal prisoners
In the March quarter 2007, there were 645 federal prisoners in Australia, a decrease of 11 (2%) from the March quarter 2006. More than half (388) 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 March quarter 2007, there were 51,680 persons in community-based corrections in Australia, a decrease of less than 1% (10 persons) from the December quarter 2006 and a decrease of 1% (692 persons) from the March quarter 2006.
Sex
Of the average number of persons in community-based corrections in Australia in the March quarter 2007, 42,146 (82%) were male and 9,436 (18%) were female.
Rates per 100,000 adults
Nationally, the rate of persons in community-based corrections was 325 persons per 100,000 adult population for the March quarter 2007. This was a decrease of 3% from the March quarter 2006 (335 persons per 100,000 adults). The largest percentage increase from the March quarter 2006 was recorded in Tasmania (6%). The largest decreases were recorded in Victoria (11%) and Western Australia (8%).
COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), Per month
COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS RATE(a), By State and Territory
In the March quarter 2007, the rate of community-based corrections for males was 538 per 100,000 adult male population compared to 117 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 March quarter 2007, there were 9,362 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 (3,985 persons); Victoria (1,416); and Queensland (1,532).
For this same period, there were 32,475 persons under sentenced probation and 10,513 persons serving community service orders.
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