The most recent figures released by the Australian
Bureau of Statistics show that the nation's prison
population now officially stands at 43,028 inmates; a figure that
is less than it was the previous year, albeit by just one
percent.
However, the slight fall is nothing to be excited about, given
that inmate numbers have been rising every year for the past
seven.
Incarceration rates are determined by many factors, including
crime rates; which have in fact been in
steady decline in New South Wales over the past four decades.
The rates are also affected by justice policies and in some cases,
police arrest quotas.
More remand inmates behind bars
One of the reasons for the overall trend in rising incarceration
rates is an increase in the number of people behind bars 'on
remand'. These are people who are meant to be presumed
'innocent until proven guilty'; awaiting the finalisation
of their cases.
