Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision 2023–24

Of the 1,144 First Nations young people released from sentenced community-based supervision in 2022–23, more than 2 in 5 (44%) received another supervised sentence within 6 months and nearly 2 in 3 (63%) returned within 12 months (Figure 2.6).

These differences were also apparent for young people released from sentenced detention (88% of First Nations young people returned within 12 months) (Table S9). As discussed in Returns to sentenced youth justice supervision while aged 10–17: First Nations young people, First Nations young people typically enter youth justice supervision at a younger age than non-Indigenous people, which may have an impact on rates of return.

Figure 2.6: First Nations young people released from sentenced supervision in 2022–23 who returned within 6 and 12 months, by type of supervision

Notes:

1. Data relate to young people aged 10–16 at the time of release, to allow a 12-month follow-up period.
2. Data for young people who were returned within 12 months includes young people who were returned within 6 months.
3. Northern Territory data was not available for young people released from sentenced supervision in 2022–23.

Source: Supplementary table S9.

Sex

Of First Nations young people released from sentenced community-based supervision in 2022–23 (1,144), about three-quarters (74%) were male and about one-quarter (26%) female. First Nations males were 1.2 times as likely as First Nations females to receive another supervised sentence within 6 months (46% compared with 39%) and 12 months (67% compared with 54%).

Of First Nations young people released from sentenced detention (230), 91% were male and 9.1% female. Females were more likely than males to receive another supervised sentence within 6 months (86% compared with 72%) and within 12 months (100% compared with 87%) (Table S9).