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

New statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising less than four per cent of the country's people.

These concerning figures come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Detailed Analysis 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 rise from 18 in the prior year.

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

The other six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The main cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The data found that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales had the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in prison custody 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 New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently remarked.

In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, dignity and accountability."

Demographic Information and Academic Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "country-wide emergency" that needs "leadership and political action."

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

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of investigations I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the inquiry, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, as per the report.