Systemic failures in “inhumane” youth detention facility leads to death of indigenous child, says WA Coroner
A WA Coroner has delivered damning findings into the 2023 death of 16 year old Cleveland Dodd, an Indigenous teenager who died while detained in a youth wing of an adult prison.
Flinders University to lead national drive on prisoner reintegration with ARC Centre of Excellence
Flinders University has been awarded major funding to lead a national research effort on prisoner reintegration — aimed at reducing re-offending and improving long-term outcomes for people leaving prison.
NSW: highest number of Indigenous deaths in custody ever recorded in a single year
In 2025, New South Wales has already seen 12 Indigenous people die while in custody, marking the highest number ever recorded in a single year.
State Coroner Teresa O’Sullivan described the milestone as “profoundly distressing,” emphasising that these are not mere statistics but individual lives, and declared that each death “demands independent and careful scrutiny.”
Proposed Commonwealth Parole Board: What this means for Federal Prisoners and the Community
The Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025 proposes to move parole decisions for federal offenders from the Attorney-General to an independent board. It’s not yet law — but here’s what it could mean for offenders, victims and families.
ASC rules strip searching female prisoner illegal breach of human rights
The ACT Supreme Court has determined that the human rights of an Aboriginal woman detained at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) were breached when she was subjected to two strip-searches in 2021. These searches were ruled to have violated the ACT Human Rights Act, affirming that even in custody, individual dignity must not be disregarded.
Human Rights Behind Bars: The Duty to Protect Female Prisoners
Every person in custody retains basic human rights. Chief among them is the right to safety, dignity, and freedom from abuse. The recent $2 million lawsuit brought by Keli Lane against the NSW Government highlights how deeply these rights can be breached when systems fail to protect women behind bars.
Unfinished Business: ALRM’s Review of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
In July 2025, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (ALRM) released its report Unfinished Business: A Review of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC).
NSW Coroner Calls for Better Prison–Family Communication After Mr. Brown’s Death
A recent coronial inquest into the tragic death in custody of 28-year-old Lathan Brown has highlighted a glaring failure in how NSW Correctional Services notified his family during his final hours.