Abstract
The National Deaths in Custody Program has monitored the extent and nature of deaths occurring in prison, police custody and youth detention in Australia since 1980. The Australian Institute of Criminology has coordinated the program since its establishment in 1992, the result of a recommendation made the previous year by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. In 2020–21 there were 82 deaths in custody: 66 in prison custody and 16 in police custody or custody-related operations. This report contains detailed information on these deaths and compares the findings with longer term trends.
Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Acronyms and abbreviations
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Deaths in prison custody
- Deaths in police custody and custody-related operations
- References
- Appendix A: Methodology
- Appendix B: Data tables - Deaths in custody 2020–21 key findings
- Appendix C: Data tables - Deaths in custody by custodial authority, 1979–80 to 2020–21
- Appendix D: Data tables - Deaths in prison custody, 1979–80 to 2020–21
- Appendix E: Data tables - Deaths in police custody and custody-related operations, 1989–90 to 2020–21