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The number of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its peak point since official data started in 1980.

New figures reveal 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 rise from 24 fatalities in the previous corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain disproportionately represented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the country's population.

These sobering statistics emerge more than three decades after a pivotal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Statistics

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

One death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were male.

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

The main reason of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the cases.

Geographic Distribution

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

The growing number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has remarked.

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

Profile Details and Academic Response

The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the individuals were awaiting a sentence.

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

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with bereaved families, stated little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to tackle this crisis.

"It's heartbreaking to see the number of investigations I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she commented.

Since the royal commission, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.