NAIDOC Week Oration NSW Police

Tom Calma Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner 8 July 2009 NAIDOC Week OrationNSW Police

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Produce two annual reports: the Social Justice Report and the Native Title Report that explore the extent to which Indigenous Australians enjoy their human rights. The reports assess government policies in relation to Indigenous health, housing, education, land, essential services, representative structures and other issues - using a human rights framework

Indigenous imprisonment Indigenous adults = 13 x more likely to be imprisoned than non Indigenous adults Indigenous juveniles = 23 x more likely to be detained than non Indigenous juveniles Indigenous women = 23 x more likely to be imprisoned than non Indigenous women

Indigenous imprisonment 48% increase in Indigenous imprisonment since 1996 34% increase in the Indigenous female imprisonment population between 2002-2006

Offender characteristics Many offenders are also victims of violence or abuse 70% of Indigenous female prisoners had been sexually abused as children 78% Indigenous female prisoners physically abused as adults

Offender characteristics High levels of substance abuse, mental health problems and cognitive disabilities Drug Use Monitoring Australia- 90% of juvenile detainees vs 40% of non Indigenous juvenile detainees tested positive for drugs in police custody

Offender Characteristics Indigenous young people in juvenile justice 4-5 times more likely to have an intellectual disability Up to 80% of Indigenous young people in juvenile justice have mental health issues

Indigenous community perceptions of Police Rooted in a long history of colonisation

Indigenous policy is everyone’s business Competency in Indigenous policing will strengthen the entire Police Force

Community Policing Partnership Project Supports the development of local partnerships between Police and Muslim communities

TRUST poster with NSW Police Treat, Record, Understand, Supply, and Train Guidelines to improve monitoring and response to racial and religious hatred

Crime Prevention Police crime prevention work with Indigenous young people breaks down barriers and increases pro-social activities

Discretion and public order offences Indigenous people 17 x more likely to be in police custody than non Indigenous people Nearly a quarter of Indigenous people in police custody were being held for public order offences

Indigenous community partnerships Night patrols: Community owned Can defuse conflict Greater efficacy when linked in with sobering up shelters, mental health resources, safe houses etc

Indigenous family violence 18.3% of Indigenous women experienced physical or threatened abuse in the past 12 months vs 7% of non Indigenous women Social Justice Report 2007 presents best practice in Indigenous family violence and child abuse

Mildura Family Violence and Sexual Assault Awareness campaign

NSW Police Aboriginal Employment Strategy Flexible pathways in Aboriginal Employees support and mentoring

Justice Reinvestment Calculates the expenditure on imprisonment and diverts a proportion to local communities where there is a high concentration of offenders. The money that would have been spent of imprisonment is reinvested in programs and services that address the underlying causes of crime in these communities.

Thank you Further information: www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/index.html

NAIDOC Week Oration NSW Police