🔗 Share this article

The tally of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has hit its record point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

Fresh data indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the year ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the prior corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all prisoners, even though representing under 4% of the country's population.

These concerning statistics emerge more than three decades after a seminal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

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

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

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

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The data found that hanging was the method in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Breakdown

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 each had three deaths.

The rising number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing milestone," the state's coroner has stated.

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

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a court sentencing.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the figures as reflecting a "country-wide crisis" that requires "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several official inquiries with bereaved families, stated very little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that aimed to address this issue.

"It's maddening to witness the number of investigations I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the situation is getting progressively worse," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.