Youth Justice profile

This chart shows the proportion of young people in 2023-2024 who were under 16 years, between 16 and 17 years, and 18 years and older:

• at the time of a Youth Justice Conference
• at the start of community supervision
• on admission to remand and control.

Statistics overview

At the time of a Youth Justice Conference:

• 52.4% of young people were younger than 16 years
• 41.3% of young people were 16 to 17 years
• 5.3% of young people were 18 years and older.

At the start of community supervision:

• 35.7% of young people were younger than 16 years
• 52% of young people were 16 to 17 years
• 12.3% of young people were 18 years and older.  

On admission to remand:

• 55.8% of young people were younger than 16 years
• 42% of young people were 16 to 17 years
• 2.2% of young people were 18 years and older.

On admission to control:

• 26.9% of young people were younger than 16 years
• 65% of young people were 16 to 17 years
• 8.1% of young people were 18 years and older.

_{Source: Department of Communities and Justice, Youth Justice Business Analytics. Effective date 6 July 2024.}

This chart shows the proportion of male and female young people in Youth Justice in 2023-2024 by legal status.

Statistics overview

Of the young people attending a Youth Justice Conference:

• 69% were male
• 31% were female.

Of the young people under community based supervision:

• 82% were male
• 18% were female.

Of the young people remanded in custody:

• 78% were male
• 22% were female.

Of the young people sentenced to detention:

• 94% were male
• 6% were female.

_{Source: Department of Communities and Justice, Youth Justice Business Analytics. Effective date 6 July 2024.}

This chart shows the percentage and number of young people who re-offended within 12 months of contact with Youth Justice NSW.

Statistics overview

A downward trend is observed. 

Of those in contact with Youth Justice NSW in 2017-2018, there were 1095 young people who reoffended within the following 12 months.

This represents 48.9% of those in contact with Youth Justice NSW during this period. This declines to 784 or 43.8% for those in contact with Youth Justice NSW in 2021-2022. 

_{Source: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. Reference: Juvenile Reoffending 30 September 2023.}

_{1. Re-offending is defined as the percentage of persons who had contact with Youth Justice NSW by way of sentenced detention, supervised community order, or Youth Justice Conference and were later convicted by a (juvenile or adult) court or conference of any new offence that takes place within 12 months of the reference date, and is proven in court, or dealt with by a Youth Justice Conference, within 15 months of the reference date.}

_{2. The reference 'contact' date is the date of release from custody, court finalisation date, or Youth Justice Centre date, as relevant.}

This chart shows the number of admissions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to Youth Justice by legal status for the past 5 years.

Statistics overview

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people attending a Youth Justice Conference was:

• 393 in 2019-2020 
• 509 in 2020-2021
• 366 in 2021-2022
• 369 in 2022-2023
• 493 in 2023-2024.

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people commencing community supervision was: 

• 2421 in 2019-2020  
• 2101 in 2020-2021
• 1891 in 2021-2022
• 2255 in 2022-2023
• 2262 in 2023-2024.

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people remanded in custody was: 

• 1245 in 2019-2020  
• 1158 in 2020-2021
• 1299 in 2021-2022
• 1783 in 2022-2023
• 1821 in 2023-2024.

The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people sentenced to detention was: 

• 148 in 2019-2020  
• 109 in 2020-2021
• 105 in 2021-2022
• 81 in 2022-2023
• 107 in 2023-2024

_{Source: Department of Communities and Justice, Youth Justice Business Analytics. Effective date 6 July 2024.}

This chart shows the percentage of young people admitted to Youth Justice who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander by legal status for the past five years. 

Statistics overview

The percentage of young people attending a Youth Justice Conference who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was: 

• 35.2% in 2019-2020  
• 36.6% in 2020-2021
• 37.8% in 2021-2022
• 38.3% in 2022-2023
• 44.5% in 2023-2024.

The percentage of young people under community supervision who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was: 

• 41.3% in 2019-2020  
• 37.6% in 2020-2021
• 43.5% in 2021-2022
• 52.8% in 2022-2023
• 52.5% in 2023-2024.

The percentage of young people remanded in custody who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was: 

• 40.3% in 2019-2020  
• 37.9% in 2020-2021
• 48.4% in 2021-2022
• 57.0% in 2022-2023
• 55.1% in 2023-2024.

The percentage of young people sentenced to detention who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was: 

• 50.2% in 2019-2020  
• 47.8% in 2020-2021.
• 50.0%% in 2021-2022
• 56.3% in 2022-2023
• 66.9% in 2023-2024.

_{Source: Department of Communities and Justice, Youth Justice Business Analytics. Effective date 6 July 2024.}