Indigenous Fatalities in Detention in Australia Reach Highest Number Since 1980

The count of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since records began in 1980.

Recently released statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in detention in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, even though representing under 4% of the country's people.

These concerning figures come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal 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.

One death was in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were male.

The other six fatalities happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The primary reason of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the highest 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 growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has said.

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

Profile Information and Expert Response

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

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the figures as reflecting a "country-wide emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said very little has changed since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to tackle this issue.

"It's maddening to witness the number of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly worse," she commented.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.