🔗 Share this article

The count of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has climbed to its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

Recently released statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an rise from 24 deaths in the prior equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the country's people.

These concerning numbers emerge over three decades after a seminal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Statistics

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

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

The other six deaths happened in police custody, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The main cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The report found that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in prison custody 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 milestone," the state's chief medical examiner has remarked.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and accountability."

Demographic Details and Expert Response

The average age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the individuals were awaiting a sentence.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the figures as representing a "national crisis" that needs "leadership and political action."

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

"It's maddening to see the number of investigations I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years after the inquiry, and the problem is getting increasingly worse," she noted.

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