NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update September 2020
Link to report summary - NSW Custody Statistics: Quarterly update September 2020
- Link to Infographics (pdf 580Kb)
Release Date: 10.30am Tuesday 3 November 2020
Latest figures released by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show that the NSW prison population remained steady in the 3 months to September 2020 after falling sharply between March and May 2020.
In September 2020 there were 12,701 adults in custody. This is a 6.1% reduction or 821 fewer inmates than a year ago.
As previously reported, justice responses to COVID-19 led to a large drop in the prison population in the second quarter of 2020. This was due to a:
jump in people released from remand to wait for their court case in the community
reduction in the rate at which people charged were remanded
reduction in people sentenced to prison as court appearances were deferred
In the third quarter of 2020 the prison population has remained steady at post-pandemic levels.
The youth detention population has shown even larger recent reductions and is currently at historic lows. In September 2020 there were 190 young people in custody, a 19% drop, or 45 fewer young people, than in September 2019.
