Australia is in the grips of a prison boom with more people behind bars than ever before.

According to recent ABS data,  Australia’s jail populations have soared to 44,400 people last year – quadrupling since the 1980s.

The NT is now the first Australian jurisdiction to see more than 1 percent of its adult population in lock up.

A group of academics from across Australia, claim prisons are not the best solution for community safety or reform.

So, how are prison populations aligning with Australia’s crime rates and what is driving the expansion of jails?

Image: UnSplash – Matthew Ansley

Produced By: Emma Wotzke

Featured In Story: Dr Emma Russell – Associate Professor of Crime, Justice and Legal Studies at La Trobe University, and

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 6 February 2025