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The number of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

New statistics show that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 fatalities in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are severely overrepresented in the justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing under 4% of the national people.

These disturbing figures come to light more than three decades after a seminal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, 26 took place while in prison custody, which is an rise from 18 in the previous year.

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

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

The primary cause of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The data found that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

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

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

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, dignity and accountability."

Demographic Details and Expert Response

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

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as reflecting a "national emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with grieving families, said little has improved since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.