fatvegan

I read some of that report a few years ago. Everyone was saying how Aborigines were 12 times more likely to die in prison than white people per head of population. I thought, "Crap, that's terrible, how can they let that happen?" But when I read it I realised that not only are Aborigines 12 times more likely to die in prison, but they're also almost exactly 12 times more likely to be imprisoned. Which, in terms of how our prisons treat Aborigines, is a far more significant statistic. And Aborigines who goes into prison isn't any more likely to die than anyone else.

Our prisons suck, but not for the reasons that report was suggesting. So many Aborigines are dying in prisons entirely because of things that happen before they get there. That is what we have to fix.

I just read these figures quoted in an Amnesty report. I love Amnesty, but they're deliberately or carelessly misrepresenting the situation. By all means, they should criticise the prison system. But they should find real evidence first. I'm sure there is plenty.