Policing the Plight of Indigenous Australians: Past Conflicts and Present Challenges

Abstract

In our paper, we address the unique characteristics of Australian society and we examine the nature, complexities and challenges that the police face in policing indigenous communities. We provide a synopsis of the historical context shaping contemporary policing in Australia, and we identify the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as the landmark inquiry shaping recent reforms in policing. We discuss recent trends and policy initiatives that have emerged since the Royal Commission. In particular, we examine police initiatives to implement community policing, restorative justice processes, recruitment and training programs, diversionary programs, and customary law initiatives and how they relate to the recommendations from the Royal Commission.