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The tally of Indigenous people dying while in detention in Australia has reached its highest point since official data began in 1980.

Fresh statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an rise from 24 fatalities in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all prisoners, despite comprising under 4% of the national population.

These concerning statistics emerge more than three decades after a pivotal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

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

A single death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were men.

The other six deaths happened in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are detaining them.

The main reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "illness." The data found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in correctional facilities with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The rising number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner recently stated.

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

Profile Details and Academic Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as reflecting a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, stated very little has improved since the 1991's royal commission that was established to address this crisis.

"It's heartbreaking to see the quantity of investigations I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively more severe," she commented.

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