Aboriginal Law Bulletin --- "Update: Another Aboriginal Death in Custody" [1989] AboriginalLawB 55; (1989) 1(40) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 15

• Update: Another Aboriginal Death In Custody

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Update:

Another Aboriginal Death in Custody

by Chris Cunneen

A 17 year old boy was found hanged in Maitland Maximum Security Gaol, NSW on the 22 October 1989. Dermot Pidgeon was the second juvenile to die in the State's institutions in three weeks. Sixteen year old Alex Amy was found hanged in Endeavour House in early October. The situation reflects a crisis in the juvenile justice system in NSW and has led to calls for a royal commission into the deaths. The situation is particularly appalling in relation to Aboriginal youth who compromise some 25 to 30 per cent of inmates in juvenile institutions in the State.

Dermot Pidgeon was one of nine juveniles who had been transferred to adult maximum security gaols in NSW. Shortly after Dermot's death, another juvenile in Maitland Gaol attempted to slash his wrists. Although Dermot was in an `observation' wing of the goal his body was not discovered for 10 hours after the estimated time of death.

Both the Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister for Corrective Services have maintained that the practice of transferring juveniles into adult prisons will continue. Such a move reflects a crisis in penal policies in the State as the juvenile and, in particular, the adult prison populations have increased dramatically in recent times.