Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia

Australia: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population was 39.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
39.9%
Change on year
up 6.9%
World rank
46th
of 147 countries
All-time high
39.9%
in 2024
All-time low
20.4%
in 2004
Years of data
20
2003–2024

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

0102030402003201320242003: 20.42004: 20.42007: 21.82008: 22.32009: 21.22010: 20.92011: 23.12012: 23.42013: 242014: 23.62015: 26.72016: 30.42017: 30.62018: 31.52019: 32.32020: 31.32021: 34.72022: 35.92023: 37.32024: 39.9

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2024, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia stood at 39.9%. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.

That represents a change of up 6.9% on the previous year and up 68.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia peaked at 39.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20.4%, in 2004.

Australia ranks 46th of 147 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%) in Australia, 2003 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2003 20.4%
2004 20.4% -0.1%
2007 21.8% +6.7%
2008 22.3% +2.5%
2009 21.2% -5.0%
2010 20.9% -1.6%
2011 23.1% +10.6%
2012 23.4% +1.3%
2013 24.0% +2.5%
2014 23.6% -1.4%
2015 26.7% +13.1%
2016 30.4% +13.9%
2017 30.6% +0.7%
2018 31.5% +2.9%
2019 32.3% +2.5%
2020 31.3% -3.2%
2021 34.7% +10.8%
2022 35.9% +3.5%
2023 37.3% +3.9%
2024 39.9% +6.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 21.2% 20.4% 22.3% 5
2010s 26.7% 20.9% 32.3% 10
2020s 35.8% 31.3% 39.9% 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 43 Monaco 41.9% compare
  2. 44 Kenya 41.0% compare
  3. 45 Australia and New Zealand 40.3% compare
  4. 47 Slovenia 39.8% compare
  5. 48 Madagascar 39.3% compare
  6. 49 Jamaica 39.2% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More infrastructure data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia?
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population in Australia was 39.9% 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?
The highest recorded value was 39.9% in 2024.
What is the lowest unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 20.4% in 2004.
How does Australia rank for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Australia ranks 46th out of 147 countries with data for 2024.
Is unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 68.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia 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. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/unsentenced-detainees-as-a-proportion-of-overall-prison-population-percent/australia/

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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
186 places, 3,007 data points, 2003–2024
Last refreshed