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Introduction

There are significant differences between the experiences of indigenous and non-indigenous Australiansin relation to the criminal justice system, for example:

• Adult imprisonment 2002: Nationally, the imprisonment rate for Indigenous adults in
  December 2002 was 16 times that for non-Indigenous adults.14 This ratio was higher in
  Western Australia and South Australia with Indigenous rates of imprisonment 20 and 18
  times the non-Indigenous rates. 15 The proportion of prisoners who were Indigenous rose
  from 14% in 1992 to 20% in 2002.
• Juvenile detention 2001: Indigenous youth aged 10 to 17 were in juvenile detention at a
  rate 17 times higher than non-Indigenous juveniles.

This section will provide an overview of:

• Demographics
• Current legal and criminal justice issues issues and concerns
• Examples of Government policy documents
• Links to useful resources