Northern Territory

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Availability of Northern Territory data in 2024-25 Rates for the Northern Territory in 2023-24 and 2024-25 Impact of COVID-19 on youth justice data Number and rate Age and sex First Nations young people Sentenced and unsentenced detention Trends to 2024–25 More information

Availability of Northern Territory data in 2024-25

The following Northern Territory data were unavailable in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and are excluded from this overview:

  • All supervision (average day)
  • Community-based supervision (average day)
  • Time under supervision.

Rates for the Northern Territory in 2023-24 and 2024-25

Due to the Northern Territory increasing the minimum age of criminal responsibility from to 10 to 12 years old in 2023, the rates for 2023-24 are for young people aged 12-17 (instead of 10-17).

In October 2024, the Northern Territory lowered the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10. Rates for 2024-25 are for young people aged 10-17.

This section summarises key findings of young people under youth justice supervision for the Northern Territory, including the number and rate of young people in detention. It also summarises data on young people by age, sex, Indigenous status, legal status, time under supervision and contains trends.

Impact of COVID-19 on youth justice data

This report includes data from March 2020 to June 2022, which coincides with the presence of COVID-19 in Australia. However, the direct impact of COVID-19 and related social restrictions on the number of young people under youth justice supervision is difficult to determine due to a range of factors and more research is required.

Number and rate

On an average day in 2024–25, in the Northern Territory:

  • 47 young people aged 10 and over were in detention (Table S140c)
  • 15 per 10,000 young people aged 10–17 were in detention (Table S141c). 

Age and sex

On an average day in 2024–25, in the Northern Territory:

  • 91% of those in detention were aged 10–17, and the rest were 18 and over
  • 94% of those in detention were male 
  • Males in detention were most likely to be aged 17, and females in detention were most likely to be aged 15 (Table S140c).

Figure 18.1: Number of young people in detention on an average day, by age, sex and Indigenous status, Northern Territory, 2024–25

This interactive population pyramid shows that the age distribution of males and females was broadly similar, however males under supervision were slightly older on average than females.

This interactive population pyramid shows that the age distribution of males and females was broadly similar, however males under supervision were slightly older on average than females.

Notes:

  1. Age categories are not presented where they represent averages that are equal to or rounded to 0.0. 
  2. Total includes young people of unknown age, sex and Indigenous status. 
  3. Age on an average day is calculated based on the age a young person is each day that they are under supervision. If a young person changes age during a period of supervision, then the average daily number under supervision will reflect this. Average daily data broken down by age will not be comparable to Youth justice in Australia releases prior to 2019–20. 
  4. The equivalent 'during the year' table or unique counts of young people is not published due to small numbers, confidentiality, and/or reliability concerns.
  5. In October 2024, the Northern Territory lowered the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10. The population for the Northern Territory in 2024-25 are young people aged 10-17.

Source: Youth Justice National Minimum Data Set 2024–25

First Nations young people

On an average day in 2024–25, in the Northern Territory First Nations young people made up 41% of those aged 10–17 in the general population, but 94% (or 40) of those of the same age in detention (tables S140c and S150).

Sentenced and unsentenced detention

On an average day in 2024–25, in the Northern Territory:

  • all (100%) young people in detention were unsentenced - that is, they were awaiting the outcome of their court matter, or had been found guilty and were awaiting sentencing 
  • 60% of young people in detention were serving a sentence (Table S108a). 

The proportion of unsentenced and sentenced young people on an average day does not sum to 100% as periods of sentenced detention in the Northern Territory have been backdated to take into account periods of unsentenced detention already served.

Over the 5 years to 2024–25, on an average day in the Northern Territory: 

  • the number of young people aged 10–17 who were in detention rose from 32 in 2020-21 to 42 in 2024-25 (Table S140c). 
  • Whilst the rate fluctuated, there was an overall increase from 32 per 10,000 to 42 per 10,000 (Table S81).

Figure 18.2: Rate of young people under supervision on an average day, by supervision type, Northern Territory, 2020–21 to 2024–25

This line graph shows an upward trend in the rate under supervision, community-based supervision and detention overall.

This line graph shows an upward trend in the rate under supervision, community-based supervision and detention overall.

Notes:

  1. Total includes young people of unknown age, sex and Indigenous status. 
  2. Number of young people under community-based supervision and in detention may not sum to total number under supervision as young people may be under community-based supervision and in detention on the same day and may be in different age groups. 
  3. Age on an average day is calculated based on the age a young person is each day that they are under supervision. If a young person changes age during a period of supervision, then the average daily number under supervision will reflect this. Average daily data broken down by age will not be comparable to Youth justice in Australia releases prior to 2019–20. 
  4. The equivalent 'during the year' table or unique counts of young people is not published due to due to small numbers, confidentiality, and/or reliability concerns. 
  5. Rates are number of young people per 10,000 relevant population. 
  6. In August 2023, the Northern Territory raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 
  7. The population for the Northern Territory in 2023-24 are for young people aged 12-17.
  8. Rate of young people under all supervision and community-based supervision were not available for 2023–24 and 2024-25.
  9. In October 2024, the Northern Territory lowered the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 12 to 10. The population for the Northern Territory in 2024-25 is for young people aged 10-17.

Source: Youth Justice National Minimum Data Set 2024–25

More information

This fact sheet is part of the Youth justice in Australia 2024–25 release, which includes a report, state and territory fact sheets, and supplementary data tables.

Together, these provide comprehensive information about young people under youth justice supervision in Australia due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime.

For more information see the Youth justice topic.

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