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The count of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has reached its highest point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

Fresh statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the year ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 deaths in the prior corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, even though representing less than four per cent of the national population.

These concerning figures come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, 26 took place while in a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the previous year.

A single death was in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were male.

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

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The report noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

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

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Demographic 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 expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "country-wide emergency" that requires "leadership and political action."

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

"It's maddening to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades after the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

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