Safety Snapshots

Secure care and supervision

In 2018-19, the rate for young people 10-17 years in secure care (detention) and under community-based supervision was 30.2 per 10,000 population. This is a decrease from 2009-10 when the rate of secure care (detention) and under community-based supervision was 63.8 per 10,000 population.

More young people were in community-based supervision (24 per 10,000 population) than in secure care (17 per 10,000) in South Australia in 2018-19.

The rate of secure care (detention) and under community-based supervision for Aboriginal young people 10-17 years in 2018-19 was 296 per 10,000 population, a decrease from 2009-10 (449 per 10,000 population) and lower than the Australian rate in 2018-19 (304 per 10,000 population).

Very remote South Australia had the highest rate of secure care (detention) and under community-based supervision (83 per 10,000 population) and inner regional South Australia had the lowest (9.2 per 10,000 population).

Young people apprehended by police

In 2016, 2,627 young people aged 10-17 years were apprehended by police in South Australia, a decrease from 4,291 in 2011. The three most common reasons for apprehensions of young people included theft from retail premises, serious assault not resulting in injury and unlawful entry with intent/burglary.

The apprehension rate for all young people aged 10-17 years in 2017-18 was 237 per 10,000  population, a decrease from 276 per 10,000  population in 2011-12.

Onkaparinga and Playford local government areas had the highest number of apprehensions.