Justice campaigners say 580 Aboriginal deaths since 1991 royal commission point to ongoing ‘gross overrepresentation’ in system
Twenty-two Indigenous people have died in custody in just 11 months, according to national data collated by the Australian Institute of Criminology, with justice advocates saying deaths that should spark a “national outcry” are being met with silence.
Cansdale said while tracking deaths was vital, every death must provoke a public reckoning, and he criticised media silence on the issue.“These tragedies remain largely unknown to the wider public, perpetuating a ‘great silence’. As of September 2024, the NSW adult custody population was 12,897, an increase of 625 people or 5% from September 2023. Over a third, or more than 4,000 of these, were Aboriginal people – the highest proportion on record.
“Domestic violence offences account for more than half of the increase in the adult remand population and 58% of the increase in Aboriginal remand population,” she said. “There’s no doubt that Aboriginal people are unfortunately impacted by violence to a much greater extent than other parts of the community,” she said.
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