Youth justice fact sheet no. 46
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14
This fact sheet summarises the long-term trends in rates of young people under youth justice supervision. It includes 8-year national trends, and trends for individual states and territories for up to 10 years (depending on data availability).
National trends
Nationally, the rate of young people aged 10–17 under youth justice supervision on an average day varied over the 8-year period to 2013–14. The rate increased from 24 young people per 10,000 in 2006–07 to a high of 28 per 10,000 in 2010–11, before declining to 23 per 10,000 in 2013–14 (Figure 1). The rate of young people under supervision during each year (rather than on an average day) followed a similar pattern, peaking at 58 young people aged 10–17 per 10,000 in 2009–10 before falling to 46 per 10,000 in the current year (Table S12).
This trend appears to be largely associated with changes in the rate of community-based supervision, as 85% of all young people under supervision were supervised in the community on an average day (tables S1 and S36). The rate of community-based supervision followed a similar pattern to the rate of all young people under supervision—that is, peaking at 24 per 10,000 young people aged 10–17 on an average day in 2010–11 before declining to 20 per 10,000 in 2013–14 (Figure 1).
The rate of young people aged 10–17 in detention fluctuated over the period at 3–4 per 10,000, and was highest in 2009–10 (4 per 10,000) (Figure 1).
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14
This fact sheet summarises the long-term trends in rates of young people under youth justice supervision. It includes 8-year national trends, and trends for individual states and territories for up to 10 years (depending on data availability).
National trends
Nationally, the rate of young people aged 10–17 under youth justice supervision on an average day varied over the 8-year period to 2013–14. The rate increased from 24 young people per 10,000 in 2006–07 to a high of 28 per 10,000 in 2010–11, before declining to 23 per 10,000 in 2013–14 (Figure 1). The rate of young people under supervision during each year (rather than on an average day) followed a similar pattern, peaking at 58 young people aged 10–17 per 10,000 in 2009–10 before falling to 46 per 10,000 in the current year (Table S12).
This trend appears to be largely associated with changes in the rate of community-based supervision, as 85% of all young people under supervision were supervised in the
community on an average day (tables S1 and S36). The rate of community-based supervision followed a similar pattern to the rate of all young people under supervision—that is, peaking at 24 per 10,000 young people aged 10–17 on an average day in 2010–11 before declining to 20 per 10,000 in 2013–14 (Figure 1).
The rate of young people aged 10–17 in detention fluctuated over the period at 3–4 per 10,000, and was highest in 2009–10 (4 per 10,000) (Figure 1).
Note: Includes non-standard data for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and estimates for the Northern Territory, as standard data for inclusion in the JJ NMDS were not supplied for 2013–14.
Sources: Tables S12, S47 and S88.
Figure 1: Young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day, by supervision type, Australia, 2006–07 to 2013–14 (rate)
2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 Year
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Rate (number per 10,000)
Detention Community
All supervision
Note: Includes non-standard data for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and estimates for the Northern Territory, as standard data for inclusion in the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS) were not supplied for 2013–14.
Sources: Table S12, S47 and S88.
Figure 1: Young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day, by supervision type, Australia, 2006–07 to 2013–14 (rate)
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14 2 Indigenous young people aged 10–17 were about 13–15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision on an average day each year (Table S12). Rates of supervision peaked for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people in 2010–11, before declining in subsequent years (from 214 to 189 per 10,000 for Indigenous young people and from 17 to 13 per 10,000 for non-Indigenous young people). However, between 2010–11 and 2013–14, there was a proportionally greater drop in the rate of non-Indigenous young people compared with Indigenous young people, which means that the level of Indigenous over-representation increased (from 13 to 15 times the non-Indigenous rate).
The rate ratio of males to females under supervision fell over the 8-year period. In 2006–07, males aged 10–17 were 5 times as likely as females to be under youth justice supervision on an average day; however, by 2013–14, this had fallen to about 4 times as likely (Table S15). Rates of both males and females under supervision were highest in 2010–11.
State and territory trends
Trend data are published for the 10 years from 2004–05 to 2013–14 for New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Data are also available for Tasmania from 2006–07 (8 years). Data for Western Australia (10 years) and the Northern Territory (7 years) are also available between 2004–05 and 2013–14, but include non-standard data from 2009–10 (see Box 1).
Variations in trends among the states and territories can reflect differences in youth justice legislation, policies and practices. Detailed information on the key elements of the youth justice systems, policies and programs in each state and territory can be found at <http://www.aihw.gov.au/youth-justice/states-territories>. The different reporting periods for which data are available may also contribute to differences in interpretation of overall trends among the states and territories.
Overall, the rate of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day rose over the 10-year period from 2004–05 to 2013–14 in New South Wales (from 18 to 21 per 10,000), Victoria (from 13 to 14 per 10,000) and Western Australia (from 29 to 32 per 10,000) (Figure 2). Despite these overall increases, there was a decline in the rate of young people under supervision after 2009–10 in New South Wales, and after 2010–11 in Victoria and Western Australia.
Over the 10-year period, the rate of young people aged 10–17 under supervision fell in South Australia (from 30 to 22 per 10,000) and the Australian Capital Territory (from 40 to 23 per 10,000), although there were some fluctuations from year to year in both states.
The rate of young people under supervision also fluctuated in Tasmania. In 2006–07, there were 37 young people aged 10–17 under supervision per 10,000; the rate peaked at 50 per 10,000 in 2009–10, before dropping to 27 per 10,000 in 2013–14.
In Queensland, there were no significant trends in the rate of young people under supervision on an average day.
The rate remained relatively stable overall at 28–32 per 10,000 each year.
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14 3
Notes
1. Includes non-standard data for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, as standard data for inclusion in the JJ NMDS were not supplied for 2013–14.
2. Data are not available for Tasmania before 2006–07 or for the Northern Territory from 2008–09 to 2010–11.
Source: Table S12.
Figure 2: Young people under supervision on an average day, states and territories, 2004–05 to 2013–14 (rate)
Trends in the rate of young people aged 10–17 under community-based supervision on an average day followed similar patterns to all supervision in most states and territories.
The rate of young people in detention on an average day in 2013–14 was higher than the rate in 2004–05 in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory (Table S88). The rate was lower in 2013–14 than in 2004–05 in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. However, in the intervening years there were differing trends among the states and territories. In Victoria, the rate in 2013–14 was similar to that in 2004–
05, despite fluctuations over the 10 years (peaking in 2009–10).
The level of Indigenous over-representation in supervision on an average day fluctuated over the decade to 2013–14 in all states and territories (Table S12). The Indigenous rate ratio was higher in 2013–14 than in 2004–05 (2006–07 for Tasmania) in all states and territories except Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13-14
Year 0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Rate (number per 10,000)
NT ACT
Tas SA
WA Qld
Vic NSW
Notes
1. Includes non-standard data for Western Australia and the Northern Territory, as standard data for inclusion in the JJ NMDS were not supplied for 2013–14.
2. Data are not available for Tasmania before 2006–07 or for the Northern Territory from 2008–09 to 2010–11.
Source: Table S12.
Figure 2: Young people under supervision on an average day, states and territories, 2004–05 to 2013–14 (rate)
Trends in the rate of young people aged 10–17 under community-based supervision on an average day followed similar patterns to all supervision in most states and territories.
The rate of young people in detention on an average day in 2013–14 was higher than the rate in 2004–05 in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory (Table S88). The rate was lower in 2013–14 than in 2004–05 in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. However, in the intervening years there were differing trends among the states and territories. In Victoria, the rate in 2013–14 was similar to that in 2004–05, despite fluctuations over the 10 years (peaking in 2009–10).
The level of Indigenous over-representation in supervision on an average day fluctuated over the decade to 2013–14 in all states and territories (Table S12). The Indigenous rate ratio was higher in 2013–14 than in 2004–05 (2006–07 for Tasmania) in all states and territories except Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14 4 Box 1: Youth justice supervision fact sheets
This is one of a series of fact sheets on youth justice supervision in 2013–14 published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). These fact sheets can be downloaded free of charge from the AIHW website at
<http://www.aihw.gov.au/youth-justice/fact-sheets>.
The fact sheets form part of the Youth justice in Australia 2013–14 release, which also includes a bulletin, supplementary tables and web pages released in multiple stages throughout the year.
(See <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/youth-justice>.)
Western Australia and the Northern Territory did not supply standard data for 2013–14 but non-standard data from these two jurisdictions have been included where possible.
The supplementary data tables (those with a prefix of S) referred to in this fact sheet accompany the bulletin Youth justice in Australia 2013–14, and can be downloaded from <http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/
?id=60129550638&tab=3>.
For more information about young people under youth justice supervision, see <http://www.aihw.gov.au/youth-justice>.
Box 2: Technical notes
1. Information about young people under youth justice supervision in this fact sheet is based on data from the Juvenile Justice National Minimum Data Set (JJ NMDS). This data collection contains information about all young people who were supervised by state and territory youth justice agencies in Australia, both in the community and detention.
Western Australia and the Northern Territory did not supply JJ NMDS data for the period 2008–09 to 2013–14, so non-standard data supplied by these jurisdictions were used, where possible, in the calculation of national totals, as were estimates for 2008–09 and 2009–10 (based on 2007–08 JJ NMDS data) for the Northern Territory.
2. This fact sheet uses an average day measure to illustrate the number of young people under supervision. The average day measure reflects the number of young people under supervision on a typical day during the year, and gives an indication of the average number of young people supported by the supervision system at any one time.
It is a summary measure that reflects both the number of young people supervised and the amount of time they spent under supervision.
3. Population rates allow for the comparison of different groups while taking into account differences in population sizes. Rates are restricted to those aged 10–17 due to differences between states and territories; they exclude young people where necessary data items are unavailable; and are not calculated where there are fewer than 5 people due to a lack of statistical reliability.
4. Rate ratios are used to compare Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates and to provide a measure of the level of Indigenous over-representation. Rate ratios should be interpreted with caution where there are small denominators, rare events and rates that converge while declining (or diverge while increasing).
Further technical and data quality information, including definitions of key terms in this fact sheet, is available from
<http://www.aihw.gov.au/youth-justice/data-quality>.
© Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2015
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Suggested citation
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2015. Youth justice fact sheet no. 46. Long-term trends in youth justice supervision: 2013–14.
Cat. no. JUV 65. Canberra: AIHW.
ISBN 978-1-74249-771-6 (PDF) ISSN 2202-1841
Any enquiries about copyright and/or this fact sheet should be directed to the Head of the Digital and Media Communications Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, GPO Box 570, Canberra ACT 2601, Tel: (02) 6244 1000, Email: <[email protected]>.
