NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update June 2018
NSW female prison population reaches record high
Full report -
NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update June 2018 (pdf 1.3mb)
Embargo: 10:30am, Monday 30 July 2018
The NSW female prison population grew by 6.6 per cent over the last 12 months, reaching a new high in June 2018 of 1,067.
This brings the total increase in female prisoners to more than 50 per cent since 2011 (an additional 370 prisoners), compared to an increase of 35 per cent for male prisoners (9,304 to 12,587).
Overall the adult prison population continues to grow, increasing by 4.1 per cent in the last 12 months. As of June this year, the prison population stood at 13,630.
The increase is attributable to a steady growth in both prisoners on remand (i.e. unconvicted prisoners awaiting trial or sentence) and sentenced prisoners.
Over the last 12 months to June 2018, the number of adult prisoners on remand grew by 4.5 per cent (from 4,309 to 4,502), while the number of sentenced prisoners rose by 3.9 per cent (from 8,783 to 9,128).
On average over the last 12 months, 1,557 prisoners were received into custody and 1,513 were released back into the community.
In contrast to the adult prisoner population, the number of juveniles in custody has remained fairly steady over the previous 12 months fluctuating between 268 and 309.
More than half of the juveniles in detention (either on remand or among those given a custodial penalty) have been charged with or convicted of robbery, break and enter or assault.
Commenting on the findings, the Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) said that BOCSAR expected the NSW prison population to continue increasing over the next year.
"Our current forecast is that the prison population will reach almost 14,200 by June 2019".
Further enquiries: Dr Don Weatherburn 02 8346 1100
Copies of the report:
www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au