🔗 Share this article

The count of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has reached its peak point since official data began in 1980.

Fresh data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the 12-month period ending in June were Indigenous. This represents an rise from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all prisoners, even though representing under 4% of the country's people.

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

Breakdown of the Latest Statistics

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.

A single death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

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

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The report noted that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

The 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 all recorded three deaths.

The increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner has said.

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

Profile Information and Academic Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "national emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

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

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

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, according to the findings.