12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody in NSW so far this year, the most on record.

“Every one of these people had a name, a story, a family. They were loved and their families and communities will carry the scars of their loss.”

More than 60 per cent increase in number of Aboriginal people on remand

In the same period, the non-Aboriginal prison population decreased by 12.5 per cent.

“These are not mere statistics … They are individuals whose deaths demand independent and careful scrutiny, respect and accountability.”

Government policies ‘driving more’ Aboriginal people into prison

“We urge the government to cease enacting laws that conflict with its duty to lower the over-representation of Aboriginal people in police cells, courts, and prisons. Instead, it should collaborate with Aboriginal communities to employ community-led, evidence-based strategies to decrease incarceration rates.”