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Link to report summary:-
Release date: Tuesday 18 February 2024
New figures released today by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show over the last 12 months, the number of young people in custody in NSW rose by 54, a 32% increase from December 2023.
According to the Executive Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Jackie Fitzgerald, “The increase in young people in custody since December 2023 is mainly due to an increased number of young people on remand. There’s been a 34.4% increase in the youth remand population since 2023, with an increasing number of young people on remand for break and enter and assault offences”.
The main factor driving the increase in remand is a rise in the bail refusal rate. Over the past two years there has been rise in the bail refusal rate for young people, from 13.7% in 2023 to 15.2% in 2024. This increase in the severity of bail decisions is apparent across a range of offences.
“The number of young Aboriginal people in detention has also increased since December 2023, up 21.7%, and this increase has also been wholly driven by rise in the number of Aboriginal young people on remand, which is up 22.6%. Two-thirds (68.2%) of Aboriginal young people in custody are from Regional NSW” Jackie says.
In December 2024, the youth detention population was 225 (210 boys and 15 girls).
Over the 12 months from December 2023 to December 2024 the number of young people in custody rose by 54, or up 31.6%, from 171 in December 2023 (162 boys and 9 girls).
The increase since December 2023 is mainly due to an increase in young people on remand. In December 2024 there were 172 young people on remand, up 44 or 34.4% from 128 in December 2023.
In December 2024, there were 53 young people in sentenced custody (up 10 or 23.3% since December 2023).
The main offences driving the increase in the youth remand population are break and enter (up 21 young people to 36 in December 2024) and assault (up 11 young people to 15 in December 2024).
In December 2024, there were 129 Aboriginal young people in detention, which was 57.3% of the youth detention population.
Like the overall youth detention population, the number of Aboriginal young people in detention has increased since December 2023, up 23 young people or 21.7% from 106 in December 2023 .
The recent increase has been driven by a rise in the number of Aboriginal young people on remand (up 19 or 22.6%).
In contrast, the number of Aboriginal young people in sentenced custody has remained relatively stable since December 2023, up 4 young people.
The main offences driving the increase in the Aboriginal youth remand population are break and enter (up 20 young people to 30 in December 2024) and assault (up 5 young people to 8 in December 2024).
In December 2024, the adult custody population was 12,736 (11,871 men and 865 women).
While the adult prison population remains 899 people fewer than prior to the pandemic in December 2019, over the 12 months to December 2024, the number of adults in prison rose considerably (up 645 inmates or up 5.3% from December 2023).
Aboriginal people account for 56.4% of the increase.
For comment please contact:
Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research.
Phone: +61 423 139 687
Email: jackie.fitzgerald@dcj.nsw.gov.au
17 Feb 2025