Risky alcohol consumption

During the 12 months prior to prison entry, 39% of all prison entrants reported consuming alcohol at high-risk levels. Around one-quarter (27%) were at low risk of alcohol-related harm, and 1 in 3 (34%) did not drink alcohol in the 12 months prior to entry to prison. Other findings include:

  • Harmful drinking generally decreased with age. Around 40% of those aged under 45 were at high risk, compared with 32% of those aged at least 45.
  • High alcohol risk was more common in Indigenous prison entrants—54% of Indigenous entrants consumed alcohol at levels considered to place a person at high risk of alcohol-related harm, compared with 33% of non-Indigenous entrants.

Across all age groups, a smaller proportion of prison entrants than their general community counterparts reported having consumed at least one serve of alcohol in the previous 12 months (Table 1). The differences were greatest for female prison entrants aged under 25 (38%) or over 30 (43–44%), compared with 79–83% of women of similar ages in the general community.

Table 1: Prison entrants and general community, consumed at least one serve of alcohol in last 12 months, by age group, 2015 (per cent)

  Prison entrants (years)
18–24
Prison entrants (years)
25–29
Prison entrants (years)
30–39
Prison entrants (years)
40–49
General population (years)
18–24
General population (years)
25–29
General population (years)
30–39
General population (years)
40–49
Men 72 69 67 63 84 87 85 86
Women 38 69 44 43 82 80 79 83
Persons 67 69 63 60 83 83 82 84

Sources: Entrant form, 2015 NPHDC and 2013 NDSHS.

However, when prison entrants were drinking alcohol, they were more likely to drink at risky levels than their general community counterparts (Table 2). For both men and women, prison entrants were less likely to have 1–4 drinks, and more likely to have at least 7standard drinks on an average day of drinking.

Among drinkers in the general population, there was a steady decline in heavy drinking with age from 41% of the youngest men and 27% of the youngest women to 18% and 8% respectively of those aged 35–44. Among male prison entrants, a similar proportion of younger and older prison entrants were drinking heavily (41% and 35% respectively). Female prison entrants had a pattern across age opposite to the general community -older female prison entrants (26–28%) were more likely to engage in heavy drinking than younger female prison entrants (19%). This suggests that among prison entrants who drink, risky drinking is more likely to be maintained into older age groups than among those who drink in the general community.

Table 2: Prison entrants and general community recent drinkers, number of drinks on a usual day of drinking, by age group, 2015 (per cent)

  Prison entrants (years)
18–24
Prison entrants (years)
25–34
Prison entrants (years)
35–44
General population (years)
18–24
General population (years)
25–34
General population (years)
35–44
Men
1–2 22 23 33 19 31 38
3–4 23 21 16 22 28 30
5–6 13 21 16 18 16 14
7+ 41 35 35 41 24 18
Women  
1–2 57 52 50 32 55 61
3–4 10 12 12 24 26 24
5–6 14 8 12 17 8 8
7+ 19 28 26 27 11 8
Persons  
1–2 27 28 36 25 42 49
3–4 21 19 15 23 27 27
5–6 13 19 15 18 13 11
7+ 38 34 34 34 18 13

Note: Excludes those who reported not drinking in the last 12 months.

Sources: Entrant form, 2015 NPHDC and 2013 NDSHS.

Alcohol treatment in prison

Less than 1 in 10 (8%) prison dischargees accessed an alcohol treatment program while in prison, representing 12% of those at high risk prior to prison. Men were more likely than women to both be at risk and access treatment (9% for men compared with 4% for women). Despite a higher proportion of Indigenous than non-Indigenous dischargees being at-risk, they reported accessing a program at similar rates (9% and 8% respectively).

Further information

See Chapter 13 of The health of Australia's prisoners 2015.