🔗 Share this article Aboriginal Fatalities in Custody in Australia Climb to Record Number Since the Start of 1980 Indigenous prisoners represent more than a third of the country's incarcerated inmates. The count of First Nations people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has reached its peak point since the beginning of official data started in 1980. New data show that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period. Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the national people. These concerning statistics emerge more than three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations. Breakdown of the Recent Figures Of the 33 Aboriginal 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. One death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were men. The remaining six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them. The main cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "illness." The report found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths. Geographic Breakdown The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths. The increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently remarked. In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful examination, respect and responsibility." Demographic Details and Academic Reaction The mean age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a sentence. A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and government action." Ms. Porter, who has been present at several official inquiries with bereaved families, stated little has improved since the 1991's royal commission that was established to tackle this crisis. "It's maddening to see the quantity of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively more severe," she noted. From the time of the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.