Number of imprisoned indigenous people in Australia surged 54% over past 15yrs – report

‘The number of indigenous people imprisoned in Australia grew by 54.3 percent over the past 15 years, according to a new study which suggests that harsher sentencing practices may be to blame.
The study by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) found that imprisonment of indigenous (or Aboriginal) people grew by 54.3 percent from 2001 to 2015, and that convictions are now more likely to result in jail time, “suggesting that harsher sentencing practice might be a significant contributor to the growth in the indigenous imprisonment rate.”
Meanwhile, a second study conducted by BOCSAR focused on New South Wales prisons. It found that the number of indigenous people in the state’s prisons increased by 40 percent between 2001 and 2015.’
Read more: Number of imprisoned indigenous people in Australia surged 54% over past 15yrs – report