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The count of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since the beginning of official data started in 1980.

Recently released figures show that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period ending in June have been identified as Indigenous. This marks an rise from 24 fatalities in the prior corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are grossly represented 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 people.

These concerning figures emerge more than three decades after a landmark royal commission 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 recorded between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in a correctional facility, which is an increase from 18 in the previous year.

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

The remaining six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The main cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The data noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

The Australian state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, then 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 reality," the state's coroner recently remarked.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths required "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Profile Information and Academic Reaction

The mean 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 figures as representing a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said little has changed since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to address this crisis.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the number of investigations I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years after the inquiry, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

From the time of the royal commission, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the report.