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Airdate: Boys Behind Bars

National Indigenous Television's current affairs show Momentum looks at the rising numbers of Indigenous children being incarcerated.

prison2Tomorrow night’s current affairs show on National Indigenous Television (NITV), Momentum, looks at the rising numbers of Indigenous children being incarcerated.

In Western Australia, the number of children in state custody has steadily risen over the last 15 years. Today, W.A has the highest rate of Aboriginal children incarcerated, in proportion to the Aboriginal population, in the country.

Wiradjuri woman and Walkley award-winning journalist Julie Nimmo investigates, in the second upcoming episode of Momentum on Tuesday 10 November @ 8.30pm AEDT or 5.30pm WST, why so many children are living behind bars. She also presents a television first, an interview with The President of W.A’s Children’s Court Judge Denis Reynolds.

In W.A Aboriginal people comprise of 3.5% of the total population and yet during August 2009, Aboriginal children made up 72% of the juvenile detention centre population. The statistics for Aboriginal adult men and women incarcerated are also alarmingly high, and are at 47% and 40% respectively, however these figures still pale in comparison to the devastating statistic for Aboriginal children locked up in this state.

Momentum asks Judge Reynolds, Aboriginal families, the W.A Attorney General, the police, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and some teenagers, the question of why so many Indigenous children are incarcerated? What is going on, in Australia’s wealthiest state, that has led to this tragic reality for so many youth? Is this a problem with Aboriginal families, or is it the fault of heavy handed police practices, mandatory sentencing, harsh courts or overzealous ‘tough on crime’ politicians?

Momentum airs at 8.30pm AEDT or 5.30pm WST.

NITV airs as Channel 180 on Foxtel, Austar and Optus and is broadcastnin various metropolitan and regional areas nationally.

Photo: stock image

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