The number of people in Australian prisons increased for the sixth consecutive year, according to new  Australian Bureau of Statistics figures.

There were 41,202 prisoners on the night of 30 June 2017, representing a six per cent increase from last year and a 51 per cent increase from 2007.

ABS National Centre of Crime and Justice Statistics director William Milne said that the increase in the Australian prisoner population over the year was due to the rise in prisoners with offences of acts intended to cause injury and illicit drug offences.

"Since the previous year, prisoners with an offence of acts intended to cause injury increased by 12 per cent, while prisoners with illicit drug offences increased 18 per cent," Mr Milne said.

"This increase in prisoners was partially offset by prisoners with an offence of theft, which decreased by eight per cent since 2016."

Of all states and territories, New South Wales continued to have the largest number of prisoners, accounting for 32 per cent of the national prisoner population, followed by Queensland (21 per cent), while Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory had the lowest proportions, each with one per cent of total prisoners. 

Sentenced prisoners made up 68 per cent of all prisoners in 2017, increasing by 6 per cent since last year. Unsentenced prisoners increased by 7 per cent for the same period. 

As in 2016, almost a third of prisoners identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in 2017. 

In 2016-17, there were 519 receptions into youth detention, according to the Territory Families annual report. 

“This was two per cent, fewer than last year, and was largely the result of fewer children between the ages of 10 and 14 entering detention,” the report states.”

“The daily average number of young people in detention was 37, compared with 49 in 2015-16. This is partly due to fewer youth apprehensions and fewer youth sentenced to detention this financial year.

“Three quarters of young people entering detention were on remand awaiting a court hearing or sentence,” it said.

“This continues a five-year trend where an increasing proportion of young people in detention were not sentenced.”