National Deaths in Custody Program
National Deaths in Custody Program
Read moreDeaths in Custody in Australia
There were 149 deaths in custody in 2013–15.
115 deaths occurred in prison custody
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34 deaths occurred in police custody
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Profile of prison and police custody deaths
The majority of prisoners who died in prison and police custody were male, over 40 years of age and non-Indigenous.
Prison death rates by Indigenous status
The prison death rate for Indigenous prisoners was lower than the death rate for non-Indigenous prisoners in 2013–14 and 2014–15. The prison death rate has been lower for Indigenous prisoners since 2004–05.
| 2013-14 | 2014-15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Indigenous |
0.11 |
0.16 |
| per 100
|
per 100
|
|
| Non-Indigenous |
0.19 |
0.18 |
| per 100
|
per 100
|
Type of police custody deaths
In 2013–15, 85% of deaths occurred while police were attempting to detain an individual and 15% of deaths took place in institutional settings (eg police cell).
Cause of police custody deaths
One in two police custody deaths in 2013–15 resulted from a gunshot wound (50%). Four were self-inflicted and 13 were police shootings.
4 Self-inflicted
13 Police shootings
from a gunshot wound
Seven police custody deaths in 2013–15 occurred during motor vehicle pursuits. A quarter of all police custody deaths since 1979–80 took place during a motor vehicle pursuit.
Cause of prison deaths
Seven in ten prison deaths resulted from natural causes in 2013–15, a third of these from heart disease and related cardiac conditions.
7/10Natural causes
1/3Heart disease
| Natural causes | Hanging | External/ multiple trauma | Drugs/ alcohol | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sentenced |
83% | 10% | 4% | 2% | 1% |
Unsentenced |
39% | 57% | 0% | 4% | 0% |