🔗 Share this article

The count of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has climbed to its record point since the beginning of official data began in 1980.

Recently released data indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an increase from 24 fatalities in the preceding equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are grossly overrepresented in the justice system. They make up over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, despite representing under 4% of the country's people.

These concerning figures come to light more than three decades after a landmark royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, 26 took place while in prison custody, which is an rise from 18 in the prior year.

A single death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the deceased were men.

The remaining six deaths took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading reason of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "natural causes." The data noted that hanging was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The Australian state of New South Wales had the highest number of Aboriginal deaths in correctional facilities with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's coroner recently stated.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Information and Expert Reaction

The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a sentence.

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "country-wide emergency" that requires "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with grieving families, stated little has improved since the 1991's royal commission that was established to address this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to see the number of inquests I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, as per the findings.