The number of Indigenous women imprisoned in NSW has grown by more than a quarter in the past eight years, despite Closing the Gap commitments to reduce numbers.
From March 2013 to February 2021, the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in NSW prisons increased by 28 per cent - from 224 women to 302 - according to a NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report published on Thursday.
The most significant jump was in the four years from March 2013 to February 2017, when the number of Indigenous women in jail increased from 224 women to 358 before plateauing.
Indigenous women have become more likely to be prosecuted by police and were picked up for a range of offences including drugs, traffic violations, assault, intimidation, theft, fraud and breaches of violence orders, contributing to the increase.
The growth in charges also led to a number of women being refused bail and being held in custody awaiting a verdict or sentencing.
A modest number of women breaching bail, having their bail revoked or having the amount of time spent in remand increased was another contributing factor.
The report noted incarceration can increase intergenerational disadvantage by creating family separation and neglect.
Most research on growing Indigenous incarceration rates covers both genders, however as 90 per cent of the prison population is male, researchers believe findings may be inaccurate for women.
In July 2021, the federal and state governments and 50 peak Indigenous organisations reached the historic Closing the Gap agreement to address the inequality faced by First Nations people.
In July this year, the Productivity Commission found the most recent Closing the Gap targets to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration by 15 per cent were off track.
The commission found the national rate had grown by 3.7 per cent in two years.
"The current trajectory of Aboriginal incarceration rates suggests that major systemic reform is required for this target to be met," the commission said at the time.
The report analysed trends in incarcerated Indigenous women from March 2013 to February 2021.
It extracted data from Corrective Services NSW's Offender Information Management System, data relating to people who had proceedings filed against them and NSW Criminal Courts Statistics.
