1.1 Snapshot Data

Offender numbers

On 20 November 2003 there were 6,240 inmates held in New Zealand prisons. Around the same time (on 23 November 2003), there were 595 offenders serving home detention. A summary of the counts is shown here.

The current figures represent a growth in numbers since the 2001 census of 460 inmates (8% up from 5780) and 421 home detainees (up from 174). The notable change in home detainees representing the increased use by Courts of this relatively new sanction.

The prison with the largest number of inmates was Waikeria with 890 inmates, of whom 67 percent were Māori. Christchurch Prison had 716 inmates, of whom 58 percent were of European descent.

Inmate demographics

Of the 6,240 remand and sentenced inmates:

• 5 percent were female.
• the median age was 31 years.
• 7 percent were under 20 years.

Compared to the sentenced inmates, the remand inmates were younger.

Compared to the sentenced inmates, the home detainees were of an older age and more home detainees were female.

Inmate social attributes

Of the 5,095 sentenced inmates:

• 45 percent had left school before reaching Year 11 (Form 5).
• 52 percent were recorded as having no qualifications of any sort.
• 12 percent were gang members.
• 35 percent of females reported having child custodial dependents at the time of prison reception.
• 12 percent of males reported having child custodial dependents at the time of prison reception.
• 50 percent nominated Māori as their primary ethnicity.
• 27 percent nominated an iwi affiliation.

Current sentences

For the 5,095 sentenced inmates:

• Males had an average custodial period imposed of approximately four years (1,457 days) with an average imposed time remaining of two years and seven months (646 days). This analysis excludes 450 sentences of life and preventative detention. The median custodial period imposed was two years and ten months (1,044 days) with a median of one year and ten months (685 days) remaining.
• Females had an average custodial period imposed of two years and seven months (940 days) with an average imposed time remaining of one year and four months (490 days). This analysis excludes 18 life sentences. The median custodial period imposed was one year and eleven months (717 days) with a median of one year and 3 months (468 days) remaining.
• 58 percent were sentenced with a “most serious offence” of violence or sexual violence.
• 449 had a most serious offence categorised as a homicide.
• 1105 had a most serious offence categorised as a sexual attack.

Compared to sentenced inmates, the home detainees were less likely to have violent and sexual offences and more likely to have shorter criminal histories.

Offending history

Of the 5095 sentenced inmates:

• Only 21 percent had no previous sentences.
• 42 percent had not had a previous custodial episode.
• 16 percent had served more than five previous custodial sentences.
• 59 percent had their first sentence aged under 20 years.
• 40 percent had their first custodial sentence aged under 20 years.