In 1991, Aboriginal people made up 14% of Australia's adult prison population. By June 2005 this figure had jumped to 22%. ANTaR believes that to prevent Aboriginal deaths in custody we need to tackle the reasons why so many Aboriginal people are in prison in the first place.

Later this year, ANTaR will be launching a major new campaign encouraging our state governments to build up communities, rather than condemning so many Aboriginal people to prison.

Recent key reports

Report: Reintegration of Indigenous prisoners

Indigenous Australians are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. To date, the lack of a national study into Indigenous reoffending has hampered understanding of the problem and implications for policy. The Australian Institute of Criminology released this report, which is available on their website, in August 2008.

ABS Statistics: Corrective Services Australia

Quarterly statistics on incarceration, including incarceration of Indigenous people.

All things considered — a range of opinions

To give you a complete picture about Aboriginal people's contact with the criminal justice system, here's a range of perspectives. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of ANTaR, but we think they should be considered and thoughtfully debated.

• Justice demands royal commission into circumstances surrounding Mulrunji death - ANTaR Queensland, 21 December 2008
• Justive Valerie French has hope for Aboriginal inmates - The Australian, 24 October 2008
• WA jailing too many Aborigines, says sociologist - The Australian, 5 September 2008
• Locked In, Locked Out - Sea Change, Issue 2 - Winter 2008
• Police to sit on Hurley findings from Palm Island - The Australian, 12 August 2008
• Unfinished Business - Mulrunji's death and the need for reform - Jeff Waters, 29 July 2008

What can be done to stop so many Aboriginal people going to prison?

We encourage considered, respectful and where necessary provocative debate. Please feel welcome to have your say, and in turn allow others to have their say without responding in anger or distrust.

ANTaR reserves the right to delete any comment that contains offensive, defamatory or discriminatory content. If you feel any of these comments are of this nature, please let us know.