Certain "social indicators" have been identified as underlying issues in the RCIADIC Report. Discuss how these indicators contribute to the over representation of Aboriginal people in custody

Essay by saveusferris March 2006

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When the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) came to completion in 1991, 339 recommendations were made by the commissioners. The most influential finding from the Royal Commission was that Indigenous persons are no more likely to die in custody than Non Indigenous persons. However, it was found that being Indigenous was a significant and in most cases dominant role in there being in custody to begin with. These recommendations fell into five main areas; these are Health, Substance Abuse, Housing & Infrastructure, Education and Policing Practice and Targeting/ Judicial System. Despite these recommendations, the endorsement from the government and expectations of the Australian Indigenous community little has been done to improve living standards and over representation of Indigenous people in the Criminal Justice System.

Health

The gap between Indigenous peoples health and the rest of Australia is increasing compared to countries around the world. The main reason for this is due to the inequality of services and lack of infrastructure.

This is due to the fact that in Australia there is no rights based approach to health care or essential services. Without this type of approach the health statistics are steadily worsening. This ongoing poverty can be contributed to the denial of citizenship rights, equal pay, education, essential services and employment opportunities over a long period of time.

It was found by the Commonwealth Grants Commission Inquiry into Indigenous Funding found that as well as remote, urban dwellers are also vulnerable to cultural, spiritual and social isolation, dislocation and lack of culturally appropriate services. Indigenous people have cultural rights which have evolved over thousands of years from customs, traditional law and general way of life, which health services need to be able to recognise. The only way to substantially fulfil this is by having community control...