Deaths In Custody

The ACT Custodial Inspector can review critical incidents which are defined in the Custodial Inspector Act 2017 (ACT) to include deaths in correctional centres. Under the ACT Coroners Act 1997 the Coroner is also required to investigate and hold an inquest into all deaths in custody.

To date, the Inspector has tabled one critical incident review into a death in custody, the death of a detained person at the AMC on 1 February 2022. The Inspector is mindful of the Coroner’s functions when conducting critical incident reviews, and is guided by OICS Operating Procedure - Exercising discretion to review a critical incident

Findings and recommendations of previous coronial inquests may be relevant to reviews conducted by the Inspector.

To fulfil its functions and broad mandate to prevent ill-treatment and promote continuous improvement of adult correction and youth justice facilities and services, OICS has produced this analysis of coronial inquest findings and recommendations, which OICS hopes will promote awareness, transparency and accountability. This table was compiled using publicly available information (last updated 23 September 2024).

Deaths in custody (prison, youth detention) since 1996 in the ACT