Abstract: This study is one of several studies conducted for a Royal Commission inquiry into aboriginal deaths in custody. The purpose of the study was to obtain information on adult deaths which were reported to have occurred while the person was serving a non-custodial correctional order. 'Non-custodial correctional orders' included all orders which involve some form of supervision of a person by a correctional authority, outside an institution. It was intended that the results of the survey could be used to assist in placing into a broader perspective the data on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal deaths obtained by other research studies of the Royal Commission.
Topics covered in the present study included the time and manner of the individual's death, responsibility for the death (e.g. suicide, accident), characteristics of the individual's correctional order, and use of alcohol or drugs. Background variables included geographical location, and the age, sex, race (aboriginal or non-aboriginal), marital status, employment status, mental health history, physical health history, most serious offence, and correctional history of the individual.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, researchers and other users should be aware that material in this dataset may contain material that is considered offensive. The data have been retained because it represents an evidential record of language, beliefs or other cultural situations at a point in time.
In line with normal ADA policy, variables (such as postcode) which could possibly be used to identify individuals have been removed or recoded from the public data file. Much of the original data, however, have been made publicy available by other parties, and if researchers would like to access the original data files, they can contact ADA and make a case for gaining access to these data.