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The number of Indigenous people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has reached its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

Fresh figures indicate that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This marks an increase from 24 deaths in the previous corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain grossly overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all prisoners, despite comprising under 4% of the country's population.

These concerning figures emerge more than three decades after a seminal royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of proposed changes.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Statistics

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, 26 occurred while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

One death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the deceased were male.

The remaining six fatalities took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The report found that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.

Geographic Distribution

The state of New South Wales recorded the highest number of Aboriginal deaths in prison custody 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 "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and responsibility."

Profile Details and Academic Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45 years, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a sentence.

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as reflecting a "national emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple coronial inquests with bereaved families, said very little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that aimed to tackle this crisis.

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively more severe," she commented.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 First Nations people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, according to the findings.