🔗 Share this article Aboriginal Deaths in Detention in Australia Hit Record Number Since 1980 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners represent more than a third of Australia's total prison inmates. The number of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has climbed to its highest point since the beginning of records began in 1980. New data show that 33 of the 113 people who passed away 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 fatalities in the prior corresponding period. Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately overrepresented in the justice system. They constitute over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing less than four per cent of the national population. These disturbing numbers emerge over three decades after a seminal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes. Breakdown 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 rise from 18 in the previous year. One death occurred in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were men. The remaining six fatalities happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone dies while police are detaining them. The leading reason of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The data found that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths. State-by-State Breakdown The Australian state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, then 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 "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has stated. In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful scrutiny, dignity and responsibility." Demographic Details and Expert Reaction The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a court sentencing. A university expert, Amanda Porter, described the figures as reflecting a "national emergency" that needs "decisive action and government action." Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with grieving families, stated very little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that aimed to tackle this crisis. "It's infuriating to see the quantity of investigations I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades after the inquiry, and the situation is getting increasingly more severe," she commented. From the time of the royal commission, a total of 600 First Nations people have died in detention, which encompasses six in youth detention, as per the report.