'
The number of Aboriginal deaths in custody in NSW has reached a record high
International

The number of Aboriginal deaths in custody in NSW has reached a record high

author
2 minutes, 0 seconds Read

The head of the New South Wales Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) has condemned the state government’s “criminal laws and police practices” as the number of Indigenous deaths in custody reaches a record high.

Twelve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody in NSW so far this year, the highest number ever recorded.

Palawa woman and ALS CEO Karly Warner said the figures should “deeply alarm” everyone in the state.
“This is a crisis and a preventable tragedy,” she said in a statement.

“Each of these people had a name, a story, a family. They were loved and their families and communities will bear the scars of their loss.”

More than 60 percent increase in the number of Aboriginal people in custody

The grim milestone comes as the number of Indigenous people in jail and pretrial detention across the state skyrockets.
Over the past five years, the number of Indigenous people in custody has increased by almost 20 percent; the number of people in pre-trial detention has increased by 63 percent.

Over the same period, the non-Aboriginal prison population fell by 12.5 percent.

“These figures reflect the entrenched over-representation of First Nations peoples in the criminal justice system,” NSW State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan said.
“[It’s] a systemic problem that increases the risks and vulnerabilities that contribute to the rising number of deaths in custody.”
Coroner O’Sullivan’s statement detailing the record number of deaths in custody is an extraordinary intervention, with such public reports rare.
“This is a very disturbing milestone,” she said.

“These are not merely statistics… These are individuals whose deaths require independent and careful investigation, respect and responsibility.”

Government policy ‘drives more’ Aboriginal people into prison

Ms Warner said the increase in deaths was a direct result of government policy.
“NSW is driving more Aboriginal women, children and men into prison than ever before,” she said.
“Despite its commitment to reducing mass incarceration of Aboriginal people under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the NSW Government continues to double down on laws and policing that guarantee more prison sentences.”
Solutions to reduce deaths in custody “are on the shelf,” Ms. Warner said.

“We call on the government to stop passing laws that conflict with its obligations to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal people in police cells, courts and prisons, and instead work with Aboriginal communities to implement evidence-based, community-led solutions to reduce incarceration rates.”

#number #Aboriginal #deaths #custody #NSW #reached #record #high

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *