Over fifteen years ago the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody highlighted the fact that the rate of imprisonment of Indigenous Australians was over 13 times higher than the rate of non-Indigenous Australians, now it is 16 time higher. Indigenous Australians represent approximately 2% of the population, yet comprise approximately 20% of the prison population. For years we have failed to act on the recommendations of this Royal Commission - that is just not good enough.
Indigenous prison populations are increasing faster than non-Indigenous prison populations. Non-Indigenous imprisonment rates have increased by three percent, whereas Indigenous imprisonment rates have increased by five percent since 2006.
The situation is much worse for juveniles, an Indigenous person under 18 years of age is almost 21 times more likely to be incarcerated than a non-Indigenous person under 18 years. For a period of time in 2007, 90% of youth in detention was Indigenous, yet Indigenous Australians represent only 4% of the youth population.
In the Northern Territory 83% of prisoners are Indigenous yet there are over three times as many non-Indigenous people living in the Northern Territory than Indigenous people. In Western Australia 41% of prisoners are Indigenous and an Indigenous person is over 25 times more likely to be imprisoned than a non-Indigenous person in that state.
The increase of arrest and incarceration of Indigenous women is also concerning. In Western Australia Indigenous women are 29 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be incarcerated.
We must highlight this issue at all levels of government and we must act now - SAYING SORRY IS NOT ENOUGH.
There are a number of ways that you can get involved
1. Sign our petition - Go to http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/16times/ and sign the petition - get your friends to sign up, add the address to your email signature.
2. Submit an entry into our competition - click for an entry form here or request one via email at prisonfoundation@email.com
3. Talk about the issue - Let others know about this important issue and tell us what you think by adding your views to our forum page, by entering our competition and by linking to this site.
4. Get a 16 times T-Shirt at http://remogeneralstore.com/pages/domitem.cfm?dom_pk=16234 and wear it!
5. Write to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin online here - you can copy and paste the above paragraph if you would like to use that for your comments.
6. Write to the Attorney-General Robert McClelland at his email address R.McClelland.MP@aph.gov.au - you can copy and paste the above paragraph if you would like to use that for your comments.
7. Contact your local Minister or Attorney General
South Australia - attorney-general@agd.sa.gov.au
Victoria - rob.hulls@parliament.vic.gov.au
Northern Territory - minister.lawrie@nt.gov.au
Western Australia - Minister.Porter@dpc.wa.gov.au
Tasmania - lara.giddings@parliament.tas.gov.au
New South Wales - office@hatzistergos.minister.nsw.gov.au
Queensland - attorney@ministerial.qld.gov.au
8. Contact your local member or opposition minister.