New figures released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) show that youth detention numbers have fallen by 15.1 per cent in the past 12 months.
Acting Executive Director of BOCSAR, Jackie Fitzgerald said the figure represented 42 young people, taking State youth custody figures down to 237 in September 2019.
“The drop has been driven largely by a decrease in the number of Aboriginal boys in detention which fell 22 per cent from 124 in September 2018 to 97 in September 2019,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
“While still unacceptably high, the proportion of the youth detention population who are Aboriginal fell from 49 per cent in September 2018 to 44 per cent in September 2019,” she said.
Ms Fitzgerald said the drop in youth detention numbers was consistent with a general reduction in youth offending over the past decade.
“In the last year there has also been a reduction in the proportion of young people sentenced to custody.”
She said the adult prison population remained relatively stable, growing by just 1 per cent to 13,522 in the last 12 months.
BOCSARs 44-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
