BP,
what I suggest is not going to make one sparrow fart of a difference, and that annoys me.
But so as to answer your question;
First and foremost, I would appreciate if the those engaged in the job of identifying then charging and assessing the guilt or innocence of a "suspect", actually did their job, or in most cases, knew what they were doing.
All to often today, there is a preference to results over performance.
Using such thinking as, "well he might not be guilty of this crime but he more than certain is guilty of past crimes, for which he has evaded us, well now we even the score".
That philosophy is OK with me, but the risk of error is too great to be so flippant with a man's life in such a cavalier manner, which is the basis of the legal and judicial system.
The system is desperate to be seen as a viable machine in this ever so demanding world, and because of this I believe too many people are being found guilty of crimes they were not guilty of or certainly to the seriousness or extent alleged and accused of.
So let's clean up the system first.
Let's find the guilty, and not let them off because of some stupid PC or because they are a minority and cannot be seen as being "picked on".
If they're guilty, they're guilty, what's so hard about that.
I realise the blacks would be the overwhelming majority in prison, given my scenario, but we have to face our demons head on or we will be overwhelmed by the mistakes we, and therefore, the system makes.

Aboriginal people are massively over represented
in the criminal justice system of Australia. Every year
it gets worse.

Is this due to inadequate legal representation, social
and economic situations, police behaviour, offence
criminalisation, or people's attitudes, or a combination
of all these things?

It appears that there's more involved here.

Foxy,

actually it is quite simple.
The rest of the population are expected to tow the line, so there is no more involved here than the will and maturity of those who make the decisions.
The answer to your question, regarding the overwhelming number of blacks in jail, is simple.
They refuse to tow the line like the rest of us are expected to.
You have only to look across the way to NZ, where the Maori reject "white mans" laws and have created a minefield for the govt and the law enforcement and the people.
This arrogance is cloaked in a veil of "we were here first so piss off or let us run the country".
Our blacks are of a similar mindset.
The younger ones, knowing this fact, go around harassing the public at every opportunity, it's a matter of record, and the 'goody two shoes' and socially unaware, like yourself, for some reason, even though you portray yourself as benign, are in fact very malignant, and your stance confirms this.
You may despair over the large number of blacks in jail, you may even put up all these reasons, that you feel are being unjust towards them, but you know the real reason, yet you deflect because you lack the courage to tell it like it is.
I'll do it for you; It's because they broke the law!
How's that?
Feel better now, someone had to do your dirty work for you.
Why do you persist in pushing sh!t uphill?

ALTRAV,

Who on earth could possibly argue with your logic.

Certainly not me.

Banjo,

On the face of it, if a court finds someone guilty of an offence, then they are guilty and they do their time. They can appeal of course.

Foxy,

A little bit dishonest of you - you omit the obvious factor in high Indigenous incarceration rates: the committing of offences. In spite of that, statistically there is a comparatively low rate of Indigenous deaths in custody: 28-29 % of people in custody are Indigenous, but 23 % of deaths in custody are Indigenous. It's safer for many Indigenous people to be in custody than out in the community. Yes, okay, I'll repeat that: It's safer for many Indigenous people to be in custody than out in the community.

And I have to say that I've known some pretty crazy and violent buggers in the Indigenous community, and a couple who've done time (not an amazingly long time either) for manslaughter (and, I suspect, actually for murder). I'm also talking about people who did the crime but not the time. I remember one big bloke who used to rage around, and when he had a bad car accident that left him in a wheelchair, I thought, 'Thank Christ'. I am, after all, a complete bastard.

Frankly, I don't care: if anybody does the crime, then they do the time. If they feel a need to top themselves while inside, since I cautiously support Voluntary Euthanasia, I would maintain that that's their right.

Joe

Foxy,

thank you.
I finally get the last word, and let me say how humble I feel because of your kind and thoughtful gesture.