Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia
Australia: Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees was 42.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia, 2000–2025
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Australia recorded 42.2% for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 54.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia peaked at 42.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 17.4%, in 2000.
That places Australia 41st out of 150 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.4% | — |
| 2005 | 20.2% | +16.1% |
| 2010 | 21.4% | +5.9% |
| 2015 | 27.4% | +28.0% |
| 2020 | 31.9% | +16.4% |
| 2025 | 42.2% | +32.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 42.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 26.6%, 1.6× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 42.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.8%, 1.8× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.8% | 17.4% | 20.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 24.4% | 21.4% | 27.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 37.0% | 31.9% | 42.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More social development data for Australia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 33,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia?
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees in Australia was 42.2% in 2025, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 42.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.4% in 2000.
- How does Australia rank for share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees?
- Australia ranks 41st out of 150 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners as a percentage of the total prison population.