Australian jail populations have risen sharply in the past year, with the number of full-time prisoners jumping 9 per cent, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show.

There were over 33,246 full-time prisoners nationally in the March quarter, with the ACT recording the largest increase of 32 per cent.

Queensland's prisoner numbers rose by 16 per cent, while Victoria's increased by 13 per cent and South Australia's went up 10.5 per cent.

There were more modest increases in New South Wales, up 7.6 per cent; Tasmania rose by 4.4 per cent and Western Australia was up 1.5 per cent.

The Northern Territory's prison population remained static.

Numbers in community based corrections rise

There has also been an increase in the number of people in community based corrections, which is used by courts as an alternative to a jail sentence.

In the March quarter there were 55,704 persons in various state and territory systems, with 81 per cent being male offenders.

Nationally, the average number of full-time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners was 9,220.

Indigenous prisoners represented 28 per cent of the total full-time prisoner population.

Although females make up a tiny proportion of the prison population, the number of women in full-time custody increased 14 per cent over the 12 months.