Facing the Numbers

1 x 52 minute documentary and 5 x 10 minute episodes

The real life stories behind the appalling statistics of First Nations disadvantage in the criminal justice system.

First Nations People in Australia are the most disproportionately incarcerated people in the world, making up 32% of prison populations while comprising only 3.8% of the total Australian population.

Since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 there have been 580 First Nations deaths, without a single perpetrator brought to justice.

Many Australians know these statistics, yet few are familiar with the systemic issues that lead to them. Even fewer understand how these numbers impact individual experiences. Numbers don’t move us, real human stories do.

Facing the Numbers is a cinematic exploration into the human stories behind the appalling statistics of First Nations disadvantage in the criminal justice system in Australia. Giving faces to these numbers highlights the systemic racism experienced by Aboriginal people that sees us over-represented in these systems.

Grounded in truth-telling, the series showcases the remarkable strength and resilience of First Nations people who are still here — protecting Country, culture and community — despite deep institutional and systemic racism.