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The count of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has climbed to its highest point since records began in 1980.

Fresh figures reveal that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an increase from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain disproportionately overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, even though comprising under 4% of the national population.

These concerning numbers emerge over three decades after a pivotal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds of proposed changes.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

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

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

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "natural causes." The report noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

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

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

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

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the individuals were still waiting for a sentence.

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with bereaved families, stated very little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of inquests I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the inquiry, and the situation is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

From the time of the royal commission, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have died in detention, which encompasses six in youth detention, according to the findings.