🔗 Share this article

The tally of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has climbed to its peak point since records started in 1980.

Fresh data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This represents an rise from 24 fatalities in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the national population.

These concerning numbers come to light more than three decades after a landmark royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward numerous 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 a correctional facility, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

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

The other six deaths took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The primary reason of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

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

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

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "independent and careful examination, respect and accountability."

Profile Details and Academic Response

The average age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a court sentencing.

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as reflecting a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several coronial inquests with grieving families, said very little has improved since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively more severe," she commented.

Since the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.