The number of young people aged 10 to 17 in detention in Victoria decreased by 23.6% in 2023–24, from 364 in 2022–23 to 278 in 2023–24. Victoria had the lowest rate of young people in youth detention in 2023–24 at 4.2 per 10,000 young people, down from 5.7 in 2022–23.
Note: The data in the graph includes people aged 10 to 17 detained in a youth detention facility as opposed to an adult custodial facility. Data is based on the count of unique persons in custody at any time during the year. Rates for the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory are for young people aged 12 to 17 due to the increase to the minimum age of criminal responsibility in those jurisdictions in 2023–24.
Detention rates per 10,000 young people aged 10 to 17 in youth detention facilities in each Australian state and territory
Hover over a bar in the graph to display the detention rate and the number of young people in detention for each state and territory. The vertical line shows the national rate.
| Jurisdiction | Number | Rate per 10,000 young people aged 10 to 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Territory | 303 | 111.4 |
| Western Australia | 785 | 26.3 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 112 | 25.1 |
| Queensland | 1,078 | 18.5 |
| South Australia | 305 | 17.2 |
| New South Wales | 1,415 | 17.1 |
| Tasmania | 77 | 14.2 |
| Victoria | 278 | 4.2 |
| Australia | 4,353 | 16.3 |
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Youth Justice, supplementary tables S72b (2025). Australian Bureau of Statistics, National, State and Territory Population (2024).
