First Nations Deaths in Detention in Australia Reach Record Number Since 1980

The number of Indigenous people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its highest point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

Fresh statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the year leading up to June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an increase from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people are grossly represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, despite representing less than four per cent of the national population.

These concerning statistics come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in prison custody, which is an rise from 18 in the prior year.

A single death occurred in youth detention, and all except one of the individuals were male.

The remaining six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in correctional facilities 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 this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has stated.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and accountability."

Demographic Details and Academic Reaction

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

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with grieving families, stated very little has changed since the 1991's national inquiry that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of investigations I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years after the royal commission, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she commented.

Since the royal commission, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.