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The number of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its highest point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

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

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain severely represented in the justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, despite representing under 4% of the country's population.

These sobering numbers emerge more than three decades after a seminal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded 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 a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the individuals were men.

The remaining six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The primary reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data noted that hanging was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales recorded 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 increasing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's coroner has remarked.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Profile Information and Academic Reaction

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as reflecting a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with grieving families, said very little has improved since the 1991's royal commission that was established to tackle this issue.

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

Since the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, as per the report.