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

Fresh data indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the year ending in June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an increase from 24 fatalities in the preceding equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people remain disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all prisoners, even though representing less than four per cent of the country's people.

These sobering figures emerge over three decades after a landmark inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

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

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

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

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The report noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The Australian state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in correctional facilities with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing reality," the state's chief medical examiner has said.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a court sentencing.

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

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

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades after the royal commission, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she noted.

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