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The count of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its peak point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

New statistics show that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the 12-month period ending in June were Indigenous. This marks an uptick from 24 deaths in the prior corresponding period.

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

These disturbing numbers come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest 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 rise from 18 in the prior year.

One death occurred in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were men.

The other six fatalities happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The report noted that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales had the greatest 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 rising number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner recently stated.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful examination, dignity and accountability."

Demographic Information and Expert Response

The mean age of those who died was 45, and eleven of the individuals were awaiting a sentence.

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as representing a "national crisis" that requires "leadership and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, said very little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to address 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 30 years past the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she noted.

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