| Term |
Definition |
| ATSI Status |
| ATSI |
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. |
| Not ATSI |
Not Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. |
| Not specified |
Coroner has not specified Indigenous status. |
| Type of Custody |
| Youth detention |
Custody in juvenile detention or youth detention centres for persons aged between 10 and 18. |
| Police cell |
Includes a cell in a police station, watch house or police lock-up. |
| Police station |
Includes deaths that occur on the premises of a police station, excluding police cells. |
| Police operation |
Includes deaths that occur during police raids, sieges and shootings where officers were attempting to detain the person. |
| Forensic facility |
Mental health facility that provides assessment and treatment for people who have been charged with a crime, or found not guilty of a crime on the grounds of mental illness. |
| Other |
Other type of custody, or type of custody is not stated by coroner. |
| Cause of death |
| Killed by another |
Includes murder and manslaughter, as well as acts of self-defence or defence of another that result in a person’s death. |
| Suicide |
Where a person intentionally kills themselves, or dies as a result of acts of self-harm. |
| Other |
Where the coroner makes an ‘inconclusive’ finding, and other circumstances not otherwise specified. |
| Specifics of Death |
| Police pursuit |
The definition differs between States. Generally includes cases where police in their vehicle attempt to apprehend a person fleeing by vehicle who is a suspected law-breaker. |
| Siege |
Where police establish a perimeter around the premises where a person is located and there is sufficient contact between the police and the deceased. |
| Drug overdose |
Includes deaths that result from fatal consumption of legal or prescription drugs, as well as illicit drugs. |
| Asphyxia |
Death caused by deprivation of oxygen, excluding hanging. |
| Other |
Includes all other causes of death including drowning, electrocution, fire, head injury, restraint, and cases where the cause of death is inconclusive or unknown. |
| Personal Characteristics |
| Alcohol use |
Coroner has made mention of alcohol use, at any stage of life. |
| Drug use |
Coroner has made mention of drug use, at any stage of life. |
| Mental illness |
Any reference to mental illness by the coroner at any stage of life. |
| Pre-existing medical condition |
Includes any relevant existing medical condition the deceased had at the time of death, whether or not it directly contributed to the death. |
| Remand/Sentenced |
| Remand |
Charged with a crime but not sentenced. |
| Sentenced |
Charged and convicted of a crime, and received a term of imprisonment from a court (or had another penalty imposed upon them by a court). |
| Other |
Includes situations where the person is on parole, has not been charged, has not yet appeared in court on any charges, or has been found not guilty by reason of mental illness. |