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The count of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its highest point since records started in 1980.

Recently released statistics reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody 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 remain severely represented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all prisoners, even though comprising less than four per cent of the country's population.

These concerning figures emerge over three decades after a pivotal royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

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

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

The remaining six deaths happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The primary reason of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "illness." The data found that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.

Geographic Breakdown

The Australian 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 this state is a "profoundly distressing reality," the state's coroner has stated.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward pattern was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful examination, respect and accountability."

Profile Information and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the individuals were still waiting for a sentence.

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the data as reflecting a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several coronial inquests with bereaved families, said very little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to tackle this crisis.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of investigations I attend, the number memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

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