Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 40.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
40.3%
Change on year
up 6.0%
World rank
47th
of 164 countries
All-time high
40.3%
in 2024
All-time low
19.4%
in 2004
Years of data
22
2003–2024

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand, 2003–2024

0102030402003201320242003: 19.62004: 19.42005: 19.52006: 20.32007: 21.32008: 21.82009: 212010: 20.72011: 22.52012: 22.72013: 22.82014: 23.12015: 26.42016: 29.92017: 30.22018: 31.42019: 33.12020: 31.92021: 35.12022: 36.72023: 382024: 40.3

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Australia and New Zealand recorded 40.3% for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in 2024. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

The figure is up 6.0% on the previous year and up 74.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand peaked at 40.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.4%, in 2004.

That places Australia and New Zealand 47th out of 164 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Australia and New Zealand, 2003 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2003 19.6%
2004 19.4% -0.9%
2005 19.5% +0.2%
2006 20.3% +4.1%
2007 21.3% +5.0%
2008 21.8% +2.6%
2009 21.0% -3.8%
2010 20.7% -1.4%
2011 22.5% +8.7%
2012 22.7% +0.7%
2013 22.8% +0.4%
2014 23.1% +1.6%
2015 26.4% +14.1%
2016 29.9% +13.4%
2017 30.2% +0.8%
2018 31.4% +3.8%
2019 33.1% +5.6%
2020 31.9% -3.5%
2021 35.1% +9.9%
2022 36.7% +4.6%
2023 38.0% +3.6%
2024 40.3% +6.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 20.4% 19.4% 21.8% 7
2010s 26.3% 20.7% 33.1% 10
2020s 36.4% 31.9% 40.3% 5

Countries ranked near Australia and New Zealand

  1. 44 New Zealand 42.3% compare
  2. 45 Monaco 41.9% compare
  3. 46 Kenya 41.0% compare
  4. 48 Australia 39.9% compare
  5. 49 Slovenia 39.8% compare
  6. 50 Madagascar 39.3% compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More infrastructure data for Australia and New Zealand

All data for Australia and New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand was 40.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 40.3% in 2024.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Australia and New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 19.4% in 2004.
How does Australia and New Zealand rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Australia and New Zealand ranks 47th out of 164 countries with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Australia and New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 74.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia and New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia and New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/australia-and-new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
195 places, 3,134 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed