Prison facts and statistics - September 2011

This page shows statistical information on the:

Prisoner population by location and status
(as at 30 September 2011)
Prison

Status

Total
 RemandSentenced 
Male164663277973
Auckland0584584
Christchurch Men's214589803
Hawke's Bay82471553
Invercargill38120158
Manawatu60227287
Mt Eden Corrections Facility567333900
New Plymouth3071101
Northland Corrections Facility104297401
Otago Corrections Facility62296358
Rimutaka131683814
Rolleston0309309
Spring Hill Corrections Facility0820820
Tongariro/Rangipo0401401
Waikeria317585902
Whanganui41426467
Wellington0115115
Female103412515
Arohata12105117
Auckland Women's Corrections Facility72233305
Christchurch Women's Corrections Facility197493
Total174967398488

Total prison population

Total prison population.


Percentage of prisoners in different age groups

Percentage of prisoners in different age groups.


Percentage of sentenced prisoners according to most serious* offence type

Percentage of sentenced prisoners according to most serious offence type.

* Prisoners may be convicted of offences across multiple categories. This information is based on the most serious offence a prisoner is convicted of.


Ethnicity of prisoners

Ethnicity of prisoners.


Security classification of sentenced prisoners

Security classification of sentenced prisoners.


Percentage of sentenced prisoners on indeterminate sentences*

Percentage of sentenced prisoners on indeterminate sentences.

* Indeterminate sentences refer to preventive detention and life sentences that have no end date. Prisoners on these sentences are only released at the discretion of the Parole Board and are subject to recall to prison if released on parole.


International rates of imprisonment

Number of prisoners per 100,000 population

United States748
South Africa324
New Zealand199
Scotland153
England and Wales152
Australia134
Canada117
Norway71
Figures reflect the prison and national populations from mid 2009 or mid 2010.

Other facts and figures

  • Approximately 50 per cent of those released or paroled do not return to prison within four years
  • The average annual cost of housing a prisoner is $90,936 or $249.14 per day
  • Prisoners are fed at a cost of less than $5 a day per person
  • 67 per cent of sentenced prisoners are engaged in employment activity
  • 55 per cent of sentenced prisoners are engaged in rehabilitation activity
  • 23 per cent of the total prison population are gang members
  • Corrections provided 44,596 pre-sentence reports to the judiciary in the 2008/09 financial year

* Most of the figures under Other statistics come from the 2008/09 financial year or from a snapshot at 30 June 2009. Re-imprisonment figures are from a 2008 report Reconviction patterns of released prisoners: A 48-month follow up analysis