MEDIA RELEASE
11 September 2014	Embargo: 11:30 am (Canberra Time)	134/2014

There has been a 13 per cent (298 persons) increase in females in custody and an 18 per cent (142 persons) rise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females in custody since June 2013, according to a report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

"The overall number of persons in custody increased by 11 per cent (3,222 persons), nationally between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014," said William Milne, ABS Director of the National Centre for Crime and Justice Statistics.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners have also increased nationally by 10% (872 persons) between the June quarter 2013 and the June quarter 2014.

"While federal sentenced persons in custody decreased annually by 3 per cent in the June 2014 quarter, the number of federal sentenced females in custody increased by 18 per cent for the same period," Mr Milne said.

Further information is available in Corrective Services Australia (Cat. no 4512.0) available for free download from the ABS website (www.abs.gov.au).

	Jun Qtr 14	Mar Qtr 14 to Jun Qtr 14 % change	Jun Qtr 13 to Jun Qtr 14 % change
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in full-time custody	9,405	2.0	10.2
Persons in full-time custody	34,034	2.4	10.5

Media notes:

• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.