Youth justice in Australia 2023–24

Young people may be sentenced to detention if they are judged to be guilty, or have pleaded guilty, in court. Sentenced detention comprises young people who have received control orders or youth residential orders or who have had their parole revoked (which can be due to re‑offending or non-compliance with parole conditions).

Number and rate

On an average day in 2023–24, 1 in 4 young people in detention (25%) were in sentenced detention (Figure 6.4). Among the states and territories, this ranged from 13% in Queensland to 65% in the Northern Territory.

Figure 6.4: Young people aged 10 and over in sentenced detention on an average day and during the year as a proportion of all young people in detention, by state and territory, 2023–24

Notes

1. Numerators are the number of young people in sentenced detention on an average day or during the year by state and territory. Denominators are the number of young people in detention on an average day or during the year by state and territory.
2. In the Northern Territory, sentenced periods were backdated to take into account time spent in unsentenced detention. This resulted in a large number of young people reported as being in sentenced and unsentenced detention at the same time and an over-count of young people in sentenced detention.

Source: Table S108.

Nationally, 3 in 5 (60%) young people in sentenced detention on an average day identified as being First Nations (Table S108a). This proportion varied considerably among the states and territories.

On an average day in 2023–24, the rate of young people aged 10–17 in sentenced detention was 0.6 per 10,000 (Table S110a). Among the states and territories for which rates could be calculated, rates were lowest in Victoria (0.1 per 10,000) and highest in Queensland (4.6 per 10,000).

Completion of periods

One half (50%) of sentenced detention periods that ended in 2023–24 ended because the young person was released on parole (also known as supervised release). This proportion was lower for First Nations young people than non-Indigenous young people (47% and 59%, respectively).

About 2 in 5 (39%) sentenced detention periods ended with the period being completed (see Glossary). This proportion was higher for First Nations young people than non-Indigenous young people (43% and 27%, respectively).

The remaining periods (11%) ended for other reasons, including transfer (which can include transfer to another youth detention centre, the adult system or interstate).

The states and territories varied:

• In New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and Western Australia more than half (54–88%) of sentenced detention periods ended with the young person being released on parole.
• In South Australia, 47% of sentenced detention periods ended with the young person being released on parole, with the remainder (53%) ended with the period being completed (Figure 6.5).

Figure 6.5: Sentenced detention ending with either sentence completion or release on parole (supervised release), by state and territory, 2023–24

Notes

1. Numerators are the number of sentenced detention periods that were completed or ended because the young person was released on parole, by state and territory. Denominators are the number of periods of sentenced detention, by state and territory.
2. In some states and territories, a minimum duration of sentenced detention applies before a young person may be considered eligible for supervised release or parole. This affects the results and comparability.

Source: Table S123.