While fewer people are getting sentenced, prison terms have been lengthening over the last decade
Andrew Little has released data that show the average length of prison sentences in the country has been on the rise from 2008.
The courts minister released the data in response to a parliamentary question from Amy Adams, the former minister for courts who is currently a National MP.
The data shows that in the first six months of 2017, the average sentence length in days was 562, up from 454 in 2008. Apart from an increase last year, the number of people sentenced has steadily dropped during the period.
The information released counts as offender once per year for their most serious sentences each year. It excludes people who are sentenced to life in prison.
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The courts minister released the data in response to a parliamentary question from Amy Adams, the former minister for courts who is currently a National MP.
The data shows that in the first six months of 2017, the average sentence length in days was 562, up from 454 in 2008. Apart from an increase last year, the number of people sentenced has steadily dropped during the period.
The information released counts as offender once per year for their most serious sentences each year. It excludes people who are sentenced to life in prison.
| Year | Number of people sentenced to imprisonment |
Average sentence length in days |
| 2008 | 8,132 | 454 |
| 2009 | 8,999 | 465 |
| 2010 | 8,921 | 466 |
| 2011 | 8,375 | 477 |
| 2012 | 7,902 | 507 |
| 2013 | 7,508 | 523 |
| 2014 | 7,530 | 522 |
| 2015 | 7,522 | 515 |
| 2016 | 8,402 | 509 |
| January to June 2017 | 4,120 | 562 |
Related stories:
Amy Adams to face off with Andrew Little
Huge job ahead for Little as new justice minister
