Indigenous Deaths in Custody in Australia Hit Record Level Since the Start of 1980

The tally of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has hit its peak point since records started in 1980.

New data show that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in detention in the year leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are severely represented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising less than four per cent of the country's people.

These concerning numbers emerge more than three decades after a seminal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest 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 was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were male.

The other six deaths happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "illness." The data found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous 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 increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner recently said.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful scrutiny, dignity and responsibility."

Demographic Information and Expert Reaction

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

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "national emergency" that needs "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with grieving families, stated little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to tackle this crisis.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many memorials 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 noted.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.