Aboriginal Deaths in Detention in Australia Hit Record Number Since the Start of 1980

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

New statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention 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 corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, despite comprising under 4% of the country's people.

These concerning numbers come to light over three decades after a pivotal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

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 youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

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

The main cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "natural causes." The report noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Breakdown

The state of New South Wales recorded 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 "profoundly distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner has stated.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Profile Details and Academic Reaction

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

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several coronial inquests with grieving families, stated little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to tackle this crisis.

"It's maddening to witness the number of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades after the inquiry, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she commented.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, according to the report.