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The count of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

Fresh figures indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the 12-month period ending in June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an rise from 24 fatalities in the previous equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, even though representing under 4% of the national population.

These sobering figures emerge more than three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

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

A single death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were men.

The remaining six deaths took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The report noted that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

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

The increasing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently stated.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful examination, dignity and accountability."

Profile Details and Academic Reaction

The mean age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the individuals were still waiting for a court sentencing.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as reflecting a "national emergency" that needs "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said very little has improved since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the quantity of investigations I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality 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 custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the report.