Indigenous Incarceration Causing Chronic Hearing Loss Rates
Ostitis media is a middle ear infection often seen in children, however it can also be a result of poverty, overcrowded housing and lack of medical knowledge. If left untreated it can cause significant hearing loss in later years leading to behavioural issues, social exclusion and poor education/job outcomes. These poor life outcomes often lead to problems with the justice system as the hearing loss creates issues with communication and the understanding of laws and rules.
In the NT hearing loss rates are through the roof with 90% of aboriginals incarcerated have some form of hearing impairment. The hearing impairment in these inmates makes communication between guards and themselves almost impossible with most inmates unaware that they can apply for parole. In some cases it can also be said that they aren’t even aware of what they did wrong to be incarcerated in the first place. We dug a little deeper on this issue and talked to some experts in the field to uncover the truths behind this horrible issue.
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