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

Recently released statistics show that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people are grossly overrepresented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the national population.

These sobering numbers emerge over three decades after a seminal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds 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 a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the previous year.

One death occurred in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the deceased were men.

The other six deaths took place in police custody, defined as when someone dies while police are detaining them.

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data found that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Indigenous 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 Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner recently said.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and accountability."

Profile Information and Academic Response

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

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "country-wide crisis" that requires "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with grieving families, said little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to see the number of investigations I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the royal commission, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the report.