🔗 Share this article

The tally of First Nations people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has hit its record point since official data started in 1980.

Recently released statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in detention in the 12-month period ending in June were Indigenous. This marks an increase from 24 fatalities in the prior corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately represented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, despite representing less than four per cent of the country's population.

These disturbing statistics come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, 26 occurred while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the previous year.

One death occurred in youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

The other six deaths took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

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

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in prison custody with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The growing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently said.

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

Demographic Details and Expert Reaction

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

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "national crisis" that requires "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, said little has changed since the 1991's royal commission that aimed to address this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to see the number of inquests I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly more severe," she commented.

Since the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, according to the findings.