Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People in Detention

In 2022–23, the rate of youth detention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 10 to 17 years was higher than the rate for other Australian young people in all Australian states and territories.

Western Australia had the highest rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in youth detention at 285.7 per 10,000 young people. The Northern Territory had the greatest difference in detention rates between the two groups: the rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was 70 times the rate for other Australian young people.

Tasmania had the smallest difference in detention rates: the rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was 3.8 times the rate for other Australian young people. In Victoria, the rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was 10.6 times the rate for other Australian young people.

The detention rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people increased in all states and territories except the Northern Territory and Victoria between 2021–22 and 2022–23. The largest increase in detention rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people was in the Australian Capital Territory, where rates increased by 48.0% from 138.4 in 2021–22 to 204.9 in 2022–23.

The rate in the Northern Territory decreased by 3.5%, and the rate in Victoria decreased by 9.9%. In Victoria, the detention rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people decreased from 56.6 in 2021–22 to 51.0 in 2022–23.

Note: Data is based on the count of unique persons aged 10 to 17 in youth detention at any time during the year.

Rates per 10,000 young people aged 10 to 17 in youth detention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and other Australian young people 

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Youth Justice in Australia 2022–23, supplementary table S83b (2024).