How adult correctional system works in Australia?

In Australia, adults who commit criminal offences are managed by the Australian criminal justice system. The term ‘correctional facility’ describes a place where someone serves their sentence when they are found guilty of a criminal offence. Prisons are the harshest type of correctional facility, not only for those in custody but also for the families left behind.

Prisons are the harshest type of correctional facility, not only for those in custody but also for the families left behind. Source: Getty Images/Andrew Merry

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How adult correctional system works in Australia?

SBS Filipino

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Australia has 115 correctional facilities. These are both privately and government-run. While justice systems across the states and territories are similar, each jurisdiction manages its own facilities.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collects detailed information on Australia’s adult prison population. William Milne is Director of the ABS National Centre of Crime and Justice Statistics.

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Highlights

• A large number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are in prison.
• Most serious offences, such as terrorism, receive the highest security classification.
• Prisoners need support to keep them going inside prison, but also post-release.

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“In June 2021 we had 43,000 prisoners in the adult correction system, and of those just over 15,000 were on remand awaiting trial. Ninety-two per cent are males versus eight per cent females. On average, sentenced prisoners spend three and a half years in prison. And for those on remand awaiting trial it’s 3.4 months.”