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The count of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its highest point since records began in 1980.

Fresh figures indicate that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the preceding corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain grossly represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all prisoners, even though comprising under 4% of the country's population.

These concerning numbers emerge over three decades after a seminal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, 26 occurred while in a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the previous year.

A single death occurred in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

The remaining six deaths took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The rising number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.

In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Information and Academic Response

The average age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the deceased were still waiting for a sentence.

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, described the figures as representing a "country-wide crisis" that needs "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple coronial inquests with grieving families, said little has changed since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to address this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the number of inquests I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the inquiry, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, according to the findings.