The rate of young people under juvenile justice supervision varies among the states and territories. In part, this reflects differences in legislation, policy and practice.
On an average day in 2010–11, the rate of young people aged 10–17 under supervision was lowest in Victoria at 1.9 per 1,000, and highest in Tasmania at 4.7 per 1,000. (Western Australia and the Northern Territory did not participate in the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set during 2010–11. Where possible, estimates for these jurisdictions are included in national totals.)
Although young people in all states and territories were more likely to be under community-based supervision than in detention, rates varied across jurisdictions.
There were also differences in the age profiles of young people under supervision. Most of those under supervision in each state and territory were aged 14–17, although the proportions varied.
In most jurisdictions, young people aged 10–17 who commit an offence are processed in the juvenile system. However, in Victoria, some young people aged 18–20 may be sentenced to detention in a juvenile facility, which results in an older population under supervision (on average). In Queensland, young people aged 17 and over at the time that they allegedly commit offences are processed in the adult criminal justice system, which results in a younger population under supervision (on average).