NSW Prison population remains low post-lockdown

NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update September 2020

Link to report summary - NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update September 2020

- Link to Infographics (pdf 580Kb)

Release Date: 10.30am Tuesday 3 November 2020

Latest figures released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show that the NSW prison population remained steady in the 3 months to September 2020 after falling sharply between March and May 2020. 

In September 2020 there were 12,701 adults in custody.  This is a 6.1% reduction or 821 fewer inmates than a year ago. 

As previously reported, justice responses to COVID-19 led to a large drop in the prison population in the second quarter of 2020.  This was due to a:

• jump in people released from remand to wait for their court case in the community

• reduction in the rate at which people charged were remanded

• reduction in people sentenced to prison as court appearances were deferred

In the third quarter of 2020 the prison population has remained steady at post-pandemic levels.

The youth detention population has shown even larger recent reductions and is currently at historic lows.  In September 2020 there were 190 young people in custody, a 19% drop, or 45 fewer young people, than in September 2019.