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The tally of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its highest point since official data started in 1980.

New statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This marks an rise from 24 fatalities in the prior corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising under 4% of the country's people.

These concerning numbers come to light more than three decades after a landmark royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Recent Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded 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 was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were male.

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

The main cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The report found that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Distribution

The state of New South Wales had the greatest 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 Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.

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 scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Profile Details and Expert Response

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

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "country-wide crisis" that needs "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said very little has changed since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to address this crisis.

"It's heartbreaking to see the number of investigations I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades after the inquiry, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she noted.

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