Australia

Oceania
Total prison population:
46,998
Country
Australia
Ministry responsible
Ministry of Justice and Customs
Prison administration
Corrective departments of the individual states
Contact address

Australia

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) 46,998
at 30.6.2025 (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) 170
based on an estimated national population of 27.61 million at end of June 2025 (from Australian Bureau of Statistics figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) 42.2%
(30.6.2025)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) 8.2%
(30.6.2025)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) 0.0%
(30.6.2019 - under 18. Youth detention, including the detention of juveniles under 18, is the responsibility of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW); in mid-2017 there were 964 so held.)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) 13.9%
(30.6.2025 - prisoners born outside Australia)
Number of establishments / institutions 111
(2015 - 85 government operated prisons, 9 privately operated prisons, 4 transition centres, 12 court cell centres, 1 periodic detention centre)
Official capacity of prison system 36,730
(2017)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) 112.2%
(2017)

Prison population trend

Year Prison population total Prison population rate
21,714 114
22,492 115
24,171 121
25,790 126
27,615 130
29,700 135
29,383 130
33,791 144
38,845 161
42,974 172
41,060 160
40,591 156

Prison population total

Prison population rate

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.  

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population. 

                                                    AUSTRALIA

Year

Number in
pre-trial/remand
imprisonment

Percentage
of total
prison population

Pre-trial/remand
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

3,785
5,133
6,367
9,898
13,097

17.4%
20.2%
21.4%
27.4%
31.9%

20
25
29
42
51

2025

19,850

42.2%

72

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.                                                      

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities. 

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day. 

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

                                                 AUSTRALIA

Year

Number of
female
prisoners

Percentage
of total
prison population

Female prison
population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

2000
2005
2010
2015
2020

1,385
1,734
2,228
2,876
3,144

6.4%
6.8%
7.5%
8.0%
7.7%

7.2
8.5
10.1
12.1
12.2

2025

3,831

8.2%

13.9

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.  

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).

Prison population trend up to 2000

The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.

                                                AUSTRALIA

Year

Prison
population
total

Prison population rate
(per 100,000 of
national population)

1900
1910
1920
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000

4,765
3,603
2,793
4,620
3,767
3,578
4,271
4,338
5,787
7,446
8,243
10,208
8,683
9,752
10,844
14,305
17,428
21,714

128
82
52
72
56
51
58
53
63
72
72
82
63
66
69
84
97
114

 

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