🔗 Share this article

The tally of Indigenous people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its peak point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

New figures show that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an uptick from 24 fatalities in the previous corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain grossly overrepresented in the justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing under 4% of the country's population.

These concerning numbers come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

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

One death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were men.

The remaining six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The report found that hanging was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

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

The rising number of Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing reality," the state's coroner recently said.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Details and Academic Response

The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and eleven of the individuals were awaiting a sentence.

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "national crisis" that needs "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, stated little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that aimed to address this crisis.

"It's maddening to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

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