Media Release
Embargoed until 10 p.m. (AEDT) Wednesday 2 November 2016
Victoria’s prison population has grown by 67% over the past decade (from 3,908 prisoners to 6,520), largely due to an increase in the number of people refused bail (particularly for violent offences), a new report from the Sentencing Advisory Council reveals.
Released today, the report, Victoria’s Prison Population 2005 to 2016, analyses both published and previously unpublished data to map trends in imprisonment in Victoria.
The report reveals that the 67% increase in the adult prison population was unevenly spread across different groups of prisoners. For example, over the survey period, there was:
- a 154% increase in the number of unsentenced prisoners (those being held on remand awaiting trial or sentencing) compared with a 46% increase for sentenced prisoners;
- a 147% increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners (compared with a 62% increase for non-Indigenous prisoners); and
- a 75% increase in the number of female prisoners (compared with a 66% increase for males).
The percentage of all sentenced offenders sent to prison has remained fairly steady over the survey period, but the average length of prison sentences has been decreasing for some offence types since 2010–11. This is largely due to an increase in the use of sentences combining prison with a community correction order (CCO). For example, 38% of the sentences of imprisonment imposed in the Magistrates’ Court for drug offences in 2014–15 also required the offender to comply with a CCO upon release.
The use of shorter prison terms, especially sentences combining prison with a CCO, has led to a decline in the number of sentenced prisoners since 2014 (from 4,973 in 2014 to 4,637 in 2016). However, this small decrease has been more than made up for by the increase in unsentenced prisoners.
Since 2014, the sentenced prisoner population has decreased by 7%, while the unsentenced prisoner population has increased by 65%. The increase in unsentenced prisoners was a result of more people being held on remand, rather than an increase in the average length of time spent on remand. The unsentenced prisoner population grew from 19% of the total prison population on 30 June 2006 to 29% on 30 June 2016, meaning that close to one in three prisoners has not been sentenced for the charges for which they are in prison.
Both the number of detected offences and the rate of detected offending as a proportion of the total population have increased since 2010–11, after having been relatively stable since 2004–05. These increases have been the result of an increase in ‘unique alleged offenders’ apprehended for offences against the person, such as cause injury offences.
Other Key Findings of the Report
Combined orders (prison plus a CCO) have increased as a proportion of all prison sentences imposed by all courts, particularly for violent offenders. This means that an increasing proportion of prisoners continue to be supervised in the community after they are released from prison.
There have been changes to the balance of offence types for people in prison. For example, in 2004–05, property offences were the most common offence type attracting a prison sentence. In 2014–15, more offenders were sent to prison for offences against the person than for any other offence type.
Comments Attributable to Sentencing Advisory Council Chair, Emeritus Professor Arie Freiberg
‘This report shows that changes to detected crime, as well as changes to bail and sentencing practices, are having an effect on both the size and the composition of Victoria’s prison population.’
‘There has been an increase in the prison population caused by an increase in detected crime, especially crimes against the person, including family violence. The overall percentage of all people sentenced who receive a prison sentence has stayed more or less the same over the past 10 years. However, more people are now being sentenced, and so more people are going to prison.’
‘What’s new is that an increase in the number of relatively short prison terms, including terms combined with a CCO, has led to a decrease in the sentenced prisoner population. But this decrease has been more than made up for by the increase in prisoners held on remand.’
‘This suggests that, in keeping with community expectations, those charged with violent offences are becoming less likely to be granted bail.’
Victoria’s Prison Population 2005 to 2016 is available on the Council’s website.
