More Indigenous Australians died in custody in NSW this year than ever before, coroner reveals | Deaths in custody

More First Nations people have died in custody in New South Wales so far this year than ever before, the state coroner has revealed, pointing to rising Aboriginal incarceration rates as a key driver behind the “deeply saddening milestone”.

Twelve Indigenous people have died in correctional services custody in NSW since January, with four more killed in police operations; This is the highest number recorded in the entire year.

NSW state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan said every death required independent review and accountability.

“These are not just statistics,” he said. “Each of these deaths represents an individual whose life mattered and whose loss is deeply felt by families, loved ones and communities across the state.”

Paul Silva, who died after his uncle David Dungay Jr. was restrained by NSW prison officers in 2015, said he would light a candle every time there was news of his death.

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“I don’t know the person. I haven’t met them, but I will sit there and cry and remember those people because I can relate to the family and how the family will literally feel for the rest of their life,” she said.

“This is a very, very long and dark struggle. And in some ways, you feel like you’re alone in this struggle.”

O’Sullivan said the over-representation of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system was a contributing factor to this horrific statistic, citing figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Boscar) showing the number of Aboriginal people in state prisons had increased by almost 20% in the last five years.

Aboriginal people make up 3 per cent of the NSW population, but make up almost a third of the state’s prison population. boscar figures – ten times more representation.

Statistics of Aboriginal people much more likely He will be brought to trial, found guilty, released on bail and sentenced to prison. Almost three quarters of young Aboriginal people refused bail at their first court appearance last year.

Karly Warner, chief executive of the NSW Aboriginal Legal Service, said the state government’s hardline stance on crime crackdowns had compounded the problem, contradicting its promise to close the gap in Indigenous incarceration.

“NSW is driving more Aboriginal women, children and men into prison than ever before through punitive laws and police practices, rather than preventing people from going to prison in the first place by meeting their needs and investing in vital community-based supports,” he said.

Warner said many deaths in custody are preventable. He said ALS represented families whose loved ones had died of treatable health conditions behind bars, while others the Guardian Australia investigation found involved hanging points in prison cells that authorities knew about but failed to remove.

“Imprisonment should not be a death sentence,” he said.

A NSW government spokesman said the review into Aboriginal deaths in custody would report back next year with recommendations on how deaths in correctional services could be reduced.

“Each of these deaths is a tragedy and the government takes this matter seriously,” the spokesman said.

We are working to reduce all preventable deaths in custody, including improving the design and security of prisons, and have invested $16 million to make our prisons safer by removing anchor points.

“We prioritize community safety as we work with communities to reduce crime and its drivers and work towards our Closing the Gap goals on Indigenous incarceration.”

Across the country, 609 Indigenous people have died in custody since the royal commission published a plan to prevent such deaths in 1991. The report’s main recommendation was to reduce Indigenous incarceration.

Silva said a rally was planned for November 1 in Sydney to call for “real justice and accountability” for Aboriginal people who died in custody.

Indigenous Australians can call 13THREAD For information and crisis support call 13 92 76; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.