Indigenous Deaths in Detention in Australia Climb to Record Level Since the Start of 1980

The number of Indigenous people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its record point since official data started in 1980.

Recently released data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the year ending in June were Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the prior corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain severely represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising less than four per cent of the country's population.

These sobering figures come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

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

A single death was in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were men.

The other six deaths took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Breakdown

The state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Indigenous 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 growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner has remarked.

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

Demographic Details and Expert Reaction

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

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as reflecting a "country-wide emergency" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with grieving families, stated very little has improved since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to address this crisis.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

Since the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, according to the report.