First Nations Fatalities in Detention in the Nation Reach Highest Level Since the Start of 1980

The tally of Indigenous people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since records started in 1980.

Recently released statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This marks an uptick from 24 deaths in the preceding equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are grossly overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing under 4% of the national population.

These concerning statistics come to light more than three decades after a landmark royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six 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 individuals were male.

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

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-harm," with "illness." The data found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Distribution

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, followed by 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 chief medical examiner has remarked.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Profile Information and Expert Response

The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a court sentencing.

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

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, stated little has changed since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to address this crisis.

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

From the time of the royal commission, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, according to the findings.