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The number of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has climbed to its peak point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

New figures reveal that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in custody in the year leading up to June have been identified as Indigenous. This represents an rise from 24 fatalities in the prior 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 people.

These disturbing numbers come to light more than three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of recommendations.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

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

A single death was in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were men.

The other six deaths took place in the custody of law enforcement, defined as a situation where someone passes away while police are detaining them.

The primary cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," with "illness." The report noted that hanging was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Distribution

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

The rising number of Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently remarked.

In October, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful examination, respect and accountability."

Demographic Information and Expert Response

The average age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were awaiting a sentence.

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

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several coronial inquests with grieving families, said very little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of investigations I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years after the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly worse," she commented.

Since the landmark inquiry, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, according to the report.