Aboriginal teen dies by suicide in Perth youth prison
An Aboriginal teenager has died by suicide at a youth prison in Perth, Western Australia (WA).
The 17-year-old had been in custody for just two days when he was found unresponsive in his cell on Thursday and could not be revived, according to state authorities.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have the highest incarceration rates in the world and are significantly more likely to die in custody compared to non-Indigenous Australians.
While deaths in juvenile detention centers are uncommon, this marks the second such incident in the state within a year.
“This is a tragic, tragic event,” WA Premier Roger Cook said as he announced an investigation on Friday morning.
“Clearly, something has gone wrong, and we will undertake the critical task of understanding the circumstances.”
The teenager, whose identity has not been disclosed, arrived at the center on Tuesday in an intoxicated state and was placed in an intensive supervision unit due to concerns for his health.
However, there were no indications of mental distress, Commissioner of Corrective Services Brad Royce informed reporters.
The boy had spent most of Thursday afternoon outside his cell and had been checked on by staff ten times in the hours leading up to his death.
The incident comes ten months after 16-year-old Cleveland Dodd became the first recorded death at a youth detention center in the state.
Investigators this year cleared prison staff of serious misconduct but found significant failures in the lead-up to his death.
Mr. Royce said he had reviewed footage from the detention center on Thursday and was satisfied the response of staff, in this case, was “appropriate”.
The condition of youth jails across the state had improved since Cleveland’s death, Mr Cook said.
“I have more confidence than ever before in terms of the way we are managing our juvenile detention facilities,” he said.
Australia has been under international pressure to raise the age of criminal responsibility – which in some states is as low as 10, and disproportionately affects First Nations kids.
The conditions in youth detention centers have also drawn international criticism, including from the UN, which claims they breach international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
“This was a preventable death. How many times, by how many experts, does the WA government need to be warned about the dangers of their youth detention centers?” Amnesty International’s Kacey Teerman said in a statement.
Responding to questions about these long-held concerns, Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia on Thursday said there was “no obvious, immediate, systemic change” needed.
“We’re responding with anything we can and anything that’s required.”
