🔗 Share this article

The number of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its peak point since records began in 1980.

New statistics show that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the 12-month period ending in June were Indigenous. This represents an rise from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people are severely represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising under 4% of the country's people.

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

Breakdown of the Latest 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 increase from 18 in the prior year.

A single death was in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were men.

The remaining six fatalities 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 First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The report found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Indigenous 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 Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has stated.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Details and Expert Response

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

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

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, said very little has improved since the 1991 royal commission that was established to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades after the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly worse," she commented.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 First Nations people have died in detention, which encompasses six in youth detention, as per the findings.