Australia’s Prison Population Soars to Unprecedented Level
(MENAFN) Australia’s prison population has surged to an unprecedented level and continues to climb, with nearly half of all inmates still awaiting sentencing, according to official statistics highlighted by a local broadcaster on Sunday.
In recent years, every Australian state and territory has introduced or is in the process of introducing stricter bail reforms, particularly targeting young offenders, the broadcaster noted.
Data recently published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals a consistent increase in the number of people behind bars over the last three years. The incarcerated population grew from 40,330 in March 2022 to 46,081 as of now.
Unsentenced prisoners rose by 8% in the latest quarter alone, adding 1,345 individuals to reach a total of 19,119—accounting for 42% of the total prison population.
The overall imprisonment rate has climbed to 214 per 100,000 adults, with males making up 92% of those incarcerated.
Indigenous Australians face the highest imprisonment rates, with 2,559 per 100,000 Indigenous adults currently behind bars. This group comprises 37% of the nation’s total prison population.
According to data from the World Prison Brief, Australia ranks seventh among G20 nations for its incarceration rate.
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