Description

Deaths in custody, particularly Indigenous deaths, have been the subject of widespread public debate and concern for more than a decade since the undertaking of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991. This study sought to establish the prevalence and causes of the deaths of Indigenous offenders in the full-time custody of the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services between 1996/97 and 2006/07. It included: comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous deaths; the characteristics of the deceased Indigenous offenders; and case summaries for deaths across the time period including date, location and cause of death. All data used in this study was extracted from electronic records maintained within NSWDCS including the Offender Integrated Management System (OIMS).