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The count of Indigenous people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its peak point since records began in 1980.

Fresh data indicate that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in detention in the year ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an increase from 24 fatalities in the preceding equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing under 4% of the country's population.

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

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in a correctional facility, 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 deaths took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The data found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the cases.

Geographic Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales recorded the highest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner recently stated.

In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and accountability."

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a sentence.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "national crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several official inquiries with bereaved families, stated very little has changed since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to address this issue.

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years after the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.