17% of all participants had been placed in care before the age of 16 years (Aboriginal participants: 21%).

60% of all participants reported that one or both of their parents had ever been incarcerated (Aboriginal participants: 80%).

29% were attending school or another type of educational institution (eg TAFE) in the 6 months prior to custody (Aboriginal participants: 24%).

39% were employed in the 6 months prior to custody (Aboriginal participants: 24%).

41% had been bullied. Bullying others was also prevalent, with 53% of participants reporting that they had bullied others.

4% of participants reported being unsettled or having no fixed place of abode in the four weeks prior to custody.

64% had experienced childhood abuse/neglect.

30% had experienced severe childhood abuse/neglect.

20% had an intelligence quotient (IQ) in the “Extremely Low” (intellectual disability) range (under 69). Aboriginal participants were more likely to have an IQ in the Extremely Low range (33%).

41% scored in the “Borderline” range (IQ 70 to 79).

28% had self-harmed in the past.

26% had thought about suicide. Since coming into custody, 15% of participants had thought about suicide.

42% had Severe Difficulties in core language skills, with Aboriginal young people more likely to have such difficulties (54%).

69% had Severe Difficulties in reading comprehension, with such difficulties more likely among Aboriginal participants (81%).

75% had been in custody prior to the current custodial period. 82% of Aboriginal participants had a history of youth justice custody.

The average age at which all participants entered custody for the first time was 15 years, with Aboriginal participants first entering custody at an earlier age than non-Aboriginal participants (14 years).

Participants had been in custody between 1 and 37 times, with an average of 5.

29% have had ever asthma.

44% have had a head injury resulting in unconsciousness.

Diet improved while in custody. Eating fresh fruit three or more times a week increased from 41% in the community to 85% since in custody; and eating fresh vegetables three or more times a week increased from 48% in the community to 75% since in custody.

86% had ever smoked a full cigarette, with a mean age of initiation of 11.9 years. 87% of participants had ever vaped, with a mean age of initiation of vaping (with nicotine) of 13.9 years.

Of those who had ever smoked, 67% had smoked cigarettes every day/almost every day in the 12 months prior to custody and 63% of those who had vaped, vaped daily or almost daily in the 12 months prior to custody.

The majority (89%) of participants had consumed a full serve of alcohol in the past and 89% had ever been intoxicated, with a mean age of first becoming intoxicated of 13.7 years.

Of those who had consumed alcohol in the 12 months prior to custody, 60% of those aged 18 years or older, and 84% of those under 18, were drinking at hazardous and harmful (ie “risky”) levels.

92% had engaged in illicit drug use with cannabis (91%) the most used illicit drug, followed by cocaine (50%), ecstasy/MDMA (49%), methamphetamine (ice) (29%) and hallucinogens (27%).

74% reported illicit drug use at least weekly in the year prior to custody.

62% reported committing crime to obtain alcohol or drugs.

65% reported that they were intoxicated (on alcohol, drugs or both) at the time of their offence.