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The tally of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

Recently released data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the year ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 fatalities in the previous equivalent period.

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

These disturbing figures emerge more than three decades after a seminal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, twenty-six took place while in a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the prior year.

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

The other six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The primary reason of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the cases.

Geographic Breakdown

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Aboriginal 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 this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has stated.

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

Demographic Information and Expert Response

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

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "national crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, stated very little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to address this issue.

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

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