🔗 Share this article Indigenous Fatalities in Detention in Australia Hit Highest Number Since the Start of 1980 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners account for more than a third of Australia's total prison population. The number of Indigenous people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980. Fresh statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an rise from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising under 4% of the national population. These disturbing statistics emerge more than three decades after a pivotal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations. Breakdown of the Latest Figures Of the 33 Indigenous 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 previous year. A single death occurred in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were men. The other six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are detaining them. The main cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The report found that hanging was the cause in eight of the cases. State-by-State Distribution 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 each had three deaths. The growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's coroner has stated. In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "independent and careful examination, respect and accountability." Profile Details and Expert Response The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and eleven of the individuals were awaiting a sentence. A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as reflecting a "country-wide emergency" that needs "decisive action and political action." Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that aimed to tackle this crisis. "It's maddening to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the inquiry, and the situation is getting progressively worse," she noted. Since the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in detention, which includes six in youth detention, according to the report.