South Australia Youth Justice Tracker
What did the SA government promise, who got the money, who runs those organisations, what’s their track record, and what’s the political context?
The Story in Three Numbers
South Australia detains 80 children on an average day at $2,890/day. First Nations young people are 20x overrepresented in detention. 68% of those detained haven't been sentenced — they're on remand. Detention numbers have decreased 8% over 5 years.
The Numbers That Matter
Source: outcomes_metrics database — AIHW, ROGS, state reports.
ROGS 2026 — System Snapshot
Sentenced vs Remand
AIHW quarterly avg nightly detention, ages 10-17. 61% are unsentenced — on remand, not convicted.
Safety in Custody — 10-Year Trend
ROGS 2026 rates per 10,000 custody nights.
Closing the Gap — Target 11
Off TrackIndigenous youth detention rate per 10K — reduce overrepresentation by 2030-31.
How SA Compares
South Australia vs other states — AIHW Youth Justice 2023-24 & ROGS 2026.
| Metric | QLD | NSW | VIC | WA | NT | National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detention rate (per 10K) | 5.1 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 17 | 3.4 |
| Avg daily detention count | 317 | 200 | 120 | 145 | 62 | 950 |
| Indigenous overrepresentation | 26x | 22x | 14x | 24x | 5x | 17x |
| First Nations detention rate (per 10K) | 42 | 32 | 18 | 38 | 25 | 26.1 |
| Avg days in detention | 104 | 55 | 37 | 68 | 45 | 62 |
| Cost per day (detention) | $2,162 | $3,200 | $7,123 | $2,573 | $4,800 | $3,635 |
| % unsentenced (remand) | 86% | 72% | 65% | 78% | 80% | 75% |
| 5-year trend (detention) | +53% | +86% | +37% | -10% | 0% | +19% |
Closing the Gap: Target 11
Reduce rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10-17) in detention by 30% by 2031.
SA First Nations Detention Rate Trend
1. Who Gets the Money
Top funded organisations across all SA youth justice programs.
| Organisation | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Sammy D Foundation | 1 | $48K |
| Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement | 1 | $20K |
| Cora Barclay Centre | 1 | $17K |
| Baptist Care (SA) Incorporated | 2 | $16K |
| Whitelion Youth Agency Ltd | 1 | $14K |
| disAbility Living Inc | 1 | $5K |
| Catholic Family Services | 1 | $4K |
| Connecting Foster Carers - SA Inc | 1 | $2K |
| Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation | 1 | $2K |
2. Who Runs It
Board and leadership for top funded SA youth justice organisations.
3. Where the Money Goes
Funding by Local Government Area with SEIFA disadvantage overlay.
| LGA | Orgs | Total Funding | SEIFA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | 1 | $48K | 6 |
4. Evidence & Accountability
Australian Living Map of Alternatives (ALMA) evidence for SA youth justice programs.
5. Political Context
Political Donations by Funded Orgs
| Donor | Recipient | Total | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Human Services | Construction Forestry Mining & Energy, Industrial Union of Employees, Queensland - Construction and General Division | $85K | 2017-18–2018-19 |
Trace funding flows from budget to recipients, contracts, and lobbying connections