Australian AG Condemns Surge in Black Prisoners

Australia’s attorney general has condemned as unacceptable the burgeoning number of young Aboriginal prisoners that a parliamentary report branded a “national crisis.”

A report on indigenous youth in the criminal justice system released Monday found Aboriginal children are 28 times more likely than other Australian children to be sent to a juvenile detention center.

Attorney General Robert McClelland said Tuesday that the report would redouble his efforts with state governments to find alternatives to jail, particularly for less serious offenses such as failure to pay fines and unlicensed driving.