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The number of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its peak point since the beginning of official data began in 1980.

New data reveal that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the year ending in June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the prior corresponding period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain grossly overrepresented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all prisoners, even though comprising less than four per cent of the national people.

These disturbing figures come to light over three decades after a seminal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, twenty-six took place while in a correctional facility, which is an rise from 18 in the previous year.

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

The other six deaths took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The data found that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Distribution

The Australian state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The increasing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing reality," the state's coroner recently said.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Information and Expert Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "national crisis" that requires "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with grieving families, said little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to tackle this crisis.

"It's infuriating to witness the number of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades after the inquiry, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which encompasses six in youth detention, as per the findings.