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The tally of Indigenous people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since the beginning of records began in 1980.

New statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in detention in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the prior equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately overrepresented in the justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, despite comprising under 4% of the country's population.

These disturbing figures come to light over three decades after a pivotal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in prison custody, which is an rise from 18 in the prior year.

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

The other six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

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

Geographic Breakdown

The state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, followed by 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 "deeply distressing milestone," the state's coroner recently stated.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a sentence.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "country-wide crisis" that requires "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, said little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry 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 after the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the royal commission, a total of 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, according to the report.