UPDATE: A grim record has been set in New South Wales (NSW) as 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have tragically died in custody in 2025. This alarming statistic has prompted an urgent intervention from State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan, who described the milestone as “profoundly distressing” in an open letter released Wednesday.
“This is not just a number,” O’Sullivan emphasized. “Each of these deaths represents a person whose life mattered and whose loss is felt deeply by families, loved ones, and communities across the state.” Her statement highlights the urgent need for action to address systemic issues within the justice system that disproportionately affect Indigenous Australians.
The Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) CEO Karly Warner condemned the situation as a “horrifying record,” stating the NSW government “should be absolutely ashamed.” Warner described this crisis as a preventable tragedy that should alarm everyone in NSW, stressing, “A prison sentence should not be a death sentence.”
Recent data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reveals that there are currently 4,386 Aboriginal adults in custody, representing over one-third of the total adult prison population, despite Aboriginal peoples making up only about 3.5% of the state’s population. This stark disparity underscores the systemic issues faced by First Nations peoples in the criminal justice system.
Warner noted the troubling trend: “Over the past five years, the number of Aboriginal people in custody has increased by 18.9%, while the non-Aboriginal population has declined by 12.5%.” Nearly half of Aboriginal adults in custody, approximately 45.6%, were on remand or denied bail as they awaited further court decisions. The number of Aboriginal individuals on remand has surged by 63% during the same period.
Warner called on the NSW government to address the “mass incarceration” of Aboriginal people, advocating for improved policing practices that respect the rights of racialized minorities. “The NSW government continues to double down on laws and policing that guarantee increased imprisonment, instead of preventing people from entering prison in the first place,” she stated.
O’Sullivan’s remarks reflect a growing concern that these figures highlight “the entrenched over-representation of First Nations peoples in the criminal justice system,” a systemic issue that is contributing to the rising number of deaths in custody.
As the situation develops, attention is focused on potential reforms and the urgent need for change in policing and judicial practices. The lives lost serve as a heartbreaking reminder of the ongoing crisis within the system, sparking calls for immediate action from both officials and the community.
The implications of this tragic milestone resonate beyond statistics; they represent a collective loss that demands urgent attention and response from all levels of government and society.
