13.6 Security Status
The breakdown of the prison population by security classification similarly shows variation but no clear trend over the past 12 years, with female inmates classified as minimum-security forming the largest sub-group, and maximum-security inmates forming only a tiny minority. Note that the classifications of ”low-medium“ and “high-medium” security were first introduced in 1999. The figures in Table 13-10 below should be read recognising that the relatively small number of female inmates means greater variability can occur over time.
Table 13-10 Security classification of sentenced females
|
Classification |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
Unclassified |
12.2 |
2.6 |
10.1 |
7.8 |
6.0 |
5.2 |
3.1 |
|
Minimum |
63.4 |
77.6 |
80.5 |
78.5 |
64.5 |
54.1 |
71.0 |
|
Low Medium |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
19.5 |
30.4 |
17.2 |
|
High Medium |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
8.5 |
9.8 |
8.8 |
|
Medium |
24.0 |
19.8 |
9.4 |
13.2 |
(28.0) |
(40.2) |
(26.0) |
|
Maximum |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
0.5 |
0.0 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
Medium-security classifications are more common amongst male inmates, although maximum-security classifications currently apply to as few as 2 percent of the male population.
Table 13-11 Security classification of sentenced males (percent)
|
Classification |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
2003 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
Unclassified |
2.5 |
5.1 |
3.4 |
2.1 |
3.6 |
2.7 |
2.0 |
|
Minimum |
54.2 |
50.5 |
55.7 |
60.0 |
51.2 |
44.3 |
44.6 |
|
Low Medium |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
27.6 |
30.7 |
37.1 |
|
High Medium |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
14.7 |
18.6 |
14.4 |
|
Medium |
39.1 |
39.9 |
38.7 |
36.6 |
(42.3) |
(49.3) |
(51.5) |
|
Maximum |
4.3 |
4.5 |
2.1 |
1.3 |
2.9 |
3.7 |
1.9 |
|
Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |
100.0 |