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The count of Indigenous people dying while in detention in Australia has reached its peak point since records began in 1980.

New figures show that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising under 4% of the country's population.

These disturbing figures emerge over three decades after a landmark royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Recent Figures

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

A single death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

The other six deaths happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

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

Geographic Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the highest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's coroner recently remarked.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, dignity and responsibility."

Demographic Details and Expert Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "national crisis" that needs "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with grieving families, said very little has changed since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this crisis.

"It's infuriating to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades after the inquiry, and the situation is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, according to the report.