Prison facts and statistics - March 2026

Quarterly prison statistics XLSX, 58.5 KB

This page shows statistical information on the:

Number of prisoners in each location by custody status
Total prison population
Breakdowns of the prison population by
o   Age
o   Ethnicity
o   Offence type
o   Security classification

Number of prisoners in each location by custody status as at 31 March 2026

Prison/Corrections Facility	Remand Accused Prisoners	Remand Convicted Prisoners	Sentenced Prisoners	Onsite Population	Offsite Population*	Total Population	Population %
Total Male Prisoners	2,738	1,369	6,206	10,313	93	10,406	92.4%
Auckland Prison	18	15	565	598	9	607	5.4%
Auckland South Corrections Facility			959	959	1	960	8.5%
Christchurch Men's Prison	288	203	370	861	17	878	7.8%
Hawke's Bay Regional Prison	123	79	460	662	8	670	6.0%
Invercargill Prison	59	33	93	185	1	186	1.7%
Manawatu Prison	29	56	167	252	1	253	2.2%
Mount Eden Corrections Facility	853	332	50	1,235	14	1,249	11.1%
Northland Region Corrections Facility	168	65	384	617	1	618	5.5%
Otago Corrections Facility	83	101	348	532	0	532	4.7%
Rimutaka Prison	292	85	925	1,302	12	1,314	11.7%
Rolleston Prison			486	486	2	488	4.3%
Spring Hill Corrections Facility	400	154	242	796	3	799	7.1%
Tongariro Prison			416	416	1	417	3.7%
Waikeria Prison	318	181	396	895	21	916	8.1%
Whanganui Prison	107	65	345	517	2	519	4.6%
Total Female Prisoners	260	170	400	830	19	849	7.6%
Arohata Prison	52	22	62	136	6	142	1.3%
Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility	166	124	202	492	11	503	4.5%
Christchurch Women's Prison	42	24	136	202	2	204	1.8%
Grand Total	2,998	1,539	6,606	11,143	112	11,255	100.0%

* Offsite population refers to people in offsite locations such as mental health facilities and police custody.

Total prison population

* Justice Sector Projection is sourced from Projection Report: Data for the Justice Sector Projections 2025.

Source link: https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/research-data/justice-sector-projections/

Prison population by age group

Prison population by primary ethnicity*

* Prisoners who have self-reported one of the above ethnicities as their primary ethnicity.

Prison population by ethnicity*

* Prisoners who have self-reported the above ethnicities as one of their ethnicities. The total equals more than 100% as people identify with multiple ethnicities.

Prison population by offence type*

* Prisoners may be convicted of offences across multiple categories. This information is based on the most serious offence for which a sentenced prisoner is convicted or a remanded prisoner is charged.