Indigenous Deaths in Detention in the Nation Hit Record Number Since the Start of 1980
The tally of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has climbed to its peak point since official data started in 1980.
New data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in detention in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the preceding equivalent period.
Indigenous Australian people remain severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, despite comprising less than four per cent of the national population.
These concerning figures emerge over three decades after a landmark inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of proposed changes.
Breakdown of the Recent Statistics
Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, 26 occurred while in a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the prior year.
A single death was in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were male.
The remaining six deaths happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.
The primary reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The report found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.
State-by-State Distribution
The Australian state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.
The rising number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.
In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful examination, dignity and responsibility."
Demographic Details and Expert Reaction
The mean age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a sentence.
A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as reflecting a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."
Ms. Porter, who has been present at several coronial inquests with bereaved families, stated little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to tackle this issue.
"It's infuriating to see the quantity of inquests I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly more severe," she commented.
From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the findings.
