First Nations Deaths in Custody in Australia Hit Record Level Since 1980

The count of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has hit its highest point since official data began in 1980.

New data indicate that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the preceding equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the country's population.

These disturbing statistics come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Latest Statistics

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

One death occurred in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

The other six deaths took place in police custody, defined as when someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The main reason of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," with "natural causes." The report noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

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

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

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

Demographic Information and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were still waiting for a sentence.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "country-wide emergency" that needs "decisive action and government action."

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

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades after the royal commission, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in detention, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.