Corrective Services, Australia

Latest release

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

Reference period
March Quarter 2025
Released
12/06/2025
  • Next Release 18/09/2025
    Corrective Services, Australia, June Quarter 2025
  • Next Release 27/11/2025
    Corrective Services, Australia, September Quarter 2025
  • View all releases

Key statistics

In the March quarter 2025: 

  • there were 46,081 persons in custody, up 4% (1,819 persons) from December quarter 2024 and 6% (2,776 persons) from the March quarter 2024
  • unsentenced prisoners increased by 8% (1,345 persons) from the December quarter 2024 to 19,119 persons
  • there were 81,779 persons serving community-based corrections (CBC) orders, down 1% (1,053 persons) from the December quarter 2024.

Persons in custody

There were 46,081 prisoners (average daily number), up:

  • 4% from 44,262 in the December quarter 2024
  • 6% from 43,305 in the March quarter 2024.

(a) Based on average daily number.

Imprisonment rates

The imprisonment rate was 214 persons per 100,000 adult population, up from: 

  • 207 persons in the December quarter 2024
  • 206 persons in the March quarter 2024.

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

Sex

Of all prisoners:

  • 92% (42,399) were male
  • 8% (3,680) were female.

The imprisonment rate for:

  • males was 401 per 100,000 adult male population, up from 388 last quarter
  • females was 34 per 100,000 adult female population, up from 32 last quarter.

 

Type of custody

Of all prisoners:

  • 84% (38,817) were in secure custody
  • 16% (7,264) were in open custody.

 

Legal status

26,503 (58%) of the 45,716 prisoners (first day of the month) were sentenced:

  • down slightly from 26,530 in the December quarter 2024
  • up 2% from 26,020 in the March quarter 2024.

19,119 (42%) of the 45,716 prisoners (first day of the month) were unsentenced, up:

  • 8% from 17,774 in the December quarter 2024
  • 13% from 16,903 in the March quarter 2024.

 

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

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in custody

There were 16,876 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners, up:

  • 6% from 15,901 in the December quarter 2024
  • 12% from 15,070 in the March quarter 2024.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners accounted for 37% of all persons in custody.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rates

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate was 2,559 persons per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, up from:

  • 2,474 in the December quarter 2024
  • 2,345 in the March quarter 2024.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate for:

  • males was 4,653 per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult male population, up from 4,518 last quarter
  • females was 511 per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult female population, up from 477 last quarter.

Note that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander imprisonment rate time series in this publication has been revised. See the Methodology for more information.

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

Federal sentenced persons in custody

There were 1,236 federal sentenced prisoners, up:

  • 5% from 1,172 in the December quarter 2024
  • 10% from 1,124 in the March quarter 2024.

Prisoner receptions

The total number of prisoner receptions was 19,115, up:

  • 1% from 18,968 in the December quarter 2024
  • 6% from 18,030 in the March quarter 2024.

(a) Total number of prisoner receptions.

Prisoner releases

The total number of prisoner releases was 17,511:

  • down 5% from 18,390 in the December quarter 2024
  • up 5% from 16,709 in the March quarter 2024.

(a) Total number of prisoner releases.

Community-based corrections

Persons in community-based corrections

There were 81,779 persons serving CBC orders

  • down 1% from 82,832 in the December quarter 2024
  • up 1% from 81,081 in the March quarter 2024.

(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 380 persons per 100,000 adult population, down from: 

  • 387 in the December quarter 2024
  • 385 in the March quarter 2024.

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

Sex

Of all persons serving CBC orders:

  • 80% (65,775) were male
  • 20% (15,977) were female

The rate of persons serving CBC orders for:

  • males was 622 per 100,000 adult male population, down from 633 last quarter
  • females was 146 per 100,000 adult female population, down from 149 last quarter.

 

Type of community-based corrections orders

There were 56,781 Sentenced probation orders:

  • down 2% from 57,789 in the December quarter 2024
  • up slightly from 56,622 in the March quarter 2024.

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

There were 17,899 Parole orders:

  • stable since the December quarter 2024
  • up 4% from 17,214 in the March quarter 2024.

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

There were 12,803 Community service orders, down:

  • 1% from 12,986 in the December quarter 2024
  • slightly from 12,856 in the March quarter 2024.

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

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

There were 21,913 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders:

  • down 1% from 22,148 in the December quarter 2024
  • up 5% from 20,790 in the March quarter 2024.

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

Rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections

Rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in community-based corrections have been added to this publication for the first time.

The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders was 3,323 persons per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult population: 

  • down from 3,446 in the December quarter 2024
  • up from 3,235 in the March quarter 2024.

The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons serving CBC orders for: 

  • males was 4,988 per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult male population, down from 5,177 last quarter
  • females was 1,694 per 100,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult female population, down from 1,754 last quarter.

(a) Rate per 100,000 adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population persons for the state/territory of interest.

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

There were 15,033 Sentenced probation orders:

  • down 1% from 15,226 in the December quarter 2024
  • up 6% from 14,223 in the March quarter 2024.

There were 5,349 Parole orders, up:

  • slightly from 5,340 in the December quarter 2024
  • 10% from 4,854 in the March quarter 2024.

There were 2,936 Community service orders, down:

  • 2% from 2,989 in the December quarter 2024
  • 3% from 3,038 in the March quarter 2024.

Data downloads

Corrective Services datacubes

Data files

Methodology

Scope

Persons held in adult corrective services custody or who are serving adult community-based orders in Australia during the reference period. Excludes persons unlawfully absent or in legal custody transferred to another agency.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

Administrative records created and maintained by the state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Collection method

Administrative data collected quarterly from state and territory corrective services agencies and Australian Government Attorney-General's Department.

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable for this release. 

History of changes

Rates revised for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons from 2022 onwards due to new population estimates and projections. 

View full methodology
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