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The tally of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has reached its record point since records started in 1980.

New data reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in detention in the year ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an increase from 24 deaths in the preceding equivalent period.

Indigenous Australian people remain severely represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all prisoners, despite comprising less than four per cent of the national population.

These concerning statistics come to light more than three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, 26 took place while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

One death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were male.

The remaining six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The report 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 correctional facilities with nine, then 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 recently remarked.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Information and Academic Reaction

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

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

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

"It's infuriating to witness the number of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

Since the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in detention, which includes six in youth detention, according to the findings.