At a glance: NSW custody trends (December 2025)

Adult custody

As at December 2025, there were 13,133 adults in custody in NSW. Although this remains below the pre‑pandemic peak of 13,979 recorded in February 2020, the prison population has been increasing steadily over the past two years.
Since December 2023, the number of adults in custody has risen by 1,026 people (up 8.5 per cent), driven largely by growth in the number of adults held on remand. This increase has been more pronounced for certain cohorts.
In December 2025, a record 4,452 Aboriginal adults were in prison, accounting for 33.9 per cent of the adult prison population—the highest proportion ever recorded.

Youth detention

As at December 2025, there were 225 young people in detention in NSW. While this is well below the historical peak of 447 recorded in November 2009, youth detention numbers have increased in recent years.
Since December 2023, the number of young people in detention has risen by 51 (29.3 per cent) and was unchanged from December 2024. Most young people in detention are held on remand, with 75.6 per cent awaiting court in December 2025. The increase since 2023 reflects growth in both remand and sentenced youth detention.
On 31 December 2025, 127 young people in detention were Aboriginal, accounting for 56.4 per cent of the youth detention population.