1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2007  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2007   
   Page tools: Print Print Page  
Contents >> Crime and Justice >> Deaths in custody

DEATHS IN CUSTODY

In 1991 the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody investigated the deaths of 99 Indigenous people that occurred in police or prison custody between January 1980 and May 1989. One of the outcomes was the establishment of a National Deaths in Custody Monitoring and Research Program at the Australian Institute of Criminology.

During 2005, 54 people died in all forms of custody in Australia, 13 fewer than for 2004. Of the 54 deaths, 15 were of Indigenous persons. The largest number of deaths in custody recorded since 1990 was in 1997 (105), while the largest number of deaths of Indigenous persons was in 1995 (21) (table 11.43).


11.43 DEATHS IN CUSTODY
Police
Prison
Total(a)
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Total
1990
5
26
5
28
10
55
65
1991
5
26
8
31
13
57
70
1992
7
24
2
34
9
58
67
1993
3
28
7
42
10
71
81
1994
3
24
11
42
14
67
81
1995
4
22
17
42
21
66
87
1996
6
23
12
40
18
64
82
1997
6
23
9
67
15
90
105
1998
6
19
9
60
16
79
95
1999
6
20
13
46
19
66
85
2000
5
20
11
53
17
74
91
2001
5
26
14
42
19
68
87
2002
6
13
8
42
14
55
69
2003
7
26
10
25
17
51
68
2004
7
21
7
32
14
53
67
2005
8
12
7
27
15
39
54
(a) Includes deaths that occurred in custody other than police or prison custody (such as juvenile detention).
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Deaths in Custody Program 1990-2005 (computer file).



Previous PageNext Page