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Assessing the Outcomes of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
Chris Cunneen
Institute of Criminology, Law School, University of Sydney, NSW
Abstract
The paper assesses the outcomes of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in the ten years since its finalisation.
Despite specific recommendations designed to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system, the situation has not improved in relation to custodial levels or deaths in custody, particularly in prison.
However, it is argued that the Royal Commission also had a broader impact on Australian social and political life which has lead to substantial changes.
Keywords
Aboriginal people, deaths in custody, police, prisons
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