The number of young people in detention
On an average night in the June quarter 2024, 845 young Australians aged 10 and over were in detention because of their involvement, or alleged involvement, in criminal activity. The number of young people in detention has increased, up from 791 in the June quarter 2020, although it is worth noting that detention numbers were lower during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Of those young people in detention, most are male, aged between 14 and 17 and are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) young people.
Impact of COVID‑19 on youth detention data
Measures put in place as part of government responses to COVID‑19 during 2020 and 2021 (including travel bans/restrictions, lockdowns limiting non-urgent face-to-face work, remote learning for students and quarantine requirements) may have affected youth detention processes during 2019–20 to 2021–22. The long-term impact of COVID‑19 on youth detention processes is still unknown. Comparisons made between the June quarter 2024 and 4 years earlier may be impacted by lower numbers and rates of young people in detention during June quarter 2020.
This report examines trends over the most recent 4-year period (June quarter 2020 to June quarter 2024). The data in this report does not include the period just prior to the onset of COVID‑19 (December quarter 2019 and earlier), but in the 2023 edition of this report there were 941 young people in detention in the June quarter 2019. This indicates that although the number of young people in detention has increased over this latest 4-year period (from 791 to 845), the number of young people in detention in June quarter 2024 remains below pre-COVID levels.
This report is part of an annual series and analyses the numbers and rates of young people aged 10 and over who were in youth detention in Australia. It focuses on trends over the 4‑year period from the June quarter 2020 to the June quarter 2024. This report includes the impact of changes to the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Both jurisdictions raised the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old (from 10) during 2023.
A better understanding of the characteristics and seasonal trends of young people in detention can help support staff, case workers and policy makers to get the best outcomes for these young people. The data may have important policy implications for the age of criminal responsibility among young people.
All data presented in this report are available through the supplementary tables on Data.
For more information see Youth detention data and Raising the age of criminal responsibility.
There were 845 young people in detention in Australia on an average night in the June quarter 2024 (Figure 1). Of these, 9 in 10 (90%) were male and 3 in 5 (60%) were First Nations young people.
For more information see Trends in detention – The number of young people in detention.
Figure 1: Number of young people in detention on an average night in Australia
See following for extended description of Figure 1
Notes
- These data are not comparable to those published in previous editions of Youth detention population in Australia. Previous editions contained differences in data formats, specifications, definitions and/or quality across jurisdictions. Further details are provided under Technical notes.
- A small number of young people are reported as having unknown Indigenous status, so some proportions will not sum to 100%.
- Average day numbers and proportions may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
- Trends among small populations should be interpreted with caution. Numbers tend to fluctuate from quarter to quarter due to random variation, and this might affect the appearance and interpretation of trends.
- The legal status pie chart for June quarter 2024 excludes Northern Territory data as data for young people in detention by legal status were not available.
Source: AIHW 2024. Youth detention population in Australia 2024
There were 784 young people in detention in Australia on an average night in the June quarter 2023, lower than both the June quarter 2020 and June quarter 2024.
Queensland had the most young people in detention in the June quarter 2023 and June quarter 2024, while New South Wales had the most young people in detention in June quarter 2020.
The Australian Capital Territory had the fewest young people in detention in the June quarter 2023 and June quarter 2024, while Tasmania had the fewest young people in detention in June quarter 2020.
Of young people in detention on an average night in the June quarter 2024:
- 74% were unsentenced and 26% were sentenced
- 60% were First Nations and 39% were non-Indigenous
- 90% were male and 10% were female.