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NSW Custody Statistics Quarterly update March 2026
Date: 14 May 2026
Subject: Custody
Author: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
In March 2026, there were 14,070 adults in prison, the highest number on record. After five years of relative stability, the prison population rose sharply by 1,064 inmates over four months from November 2025 to March 2026 (up 8% in the four months).
Growth from November 2025 to March 2026 was larger for these inmate groups:
The remand population rose 14% (up 802), to an all-time high of 6,650 (representing 47.3% of the prison population).
Aboriginal adults in prison rose 10% (up 435), to an all-time high of 4,834 (representing 34.4% of the prison population).
People in prison for domestic violence offences rose 13% (up 459), to a record of 3,944, or 28.0% of the prison population.
Youth detention
In March 2026, there were 220 young people in detention in NSW, slightly lower than 12 months earlier (229 in March 2025).
Most young people in detention are on remand (175, or 79.6% in March 2026). The remand population has increased slightly over the past year, up 10 young people (6.1%). In contrast, the sentenced population fell by 29.7% from 64 in March 2025 to 45 in March 2026.
Of these, 118 (53.6%) were Aboriginal. Both the number and proportion of Aboriginal young people in detention have declined from 144 (62.9%) in March 2025.