The number of Indigenous people who have died in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since records began in 1980. Data released by the Australian Institute of Criminology indicates that 33 out of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the year leading up to June this year were Indigenous. This marks a significant increase from 24 in the previous year.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, who constitute less than four percent of Australia's population, make up over a third of the total prison population. This trend underscores deep systemic issues in the criminal justice system.
The statistics come in the wake of a landmark inquiry over three decades ago aimed at addressing Indigenous deaths in custody but show little progress has been made since then. Of the 33 Indigenous deaths recorded, 26 occurred in prison custody, compared to just 18 in the preceding year. Moreover, the number of incidents in police custody has also contributed to this crisis.
The predominant cause of these fatalities has been categorized as 'self-inflicted', followed by 'natural causes', with hanging noted as the method in eight cases. The state of New South Wales reported the highest number of Indigenous fatalities in custody, prompting a state coroner to label the rising figures as a profoundly distressing milestone.
Experts are calling this trend a 'national crisis', suggesting that without decisive political action, these numbers will continue to escalate. Despite extensive recommendations from prior inquiries, the situation appears to deteriorate, calling for an urgent reassessment of the policies governing Indigenous individuals within the justice system.
