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The count of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has climbed to its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

New figures reveal that 33 of the 113 people who died in detention in the 12-month period leading up to June were Indigenous. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the previous corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain grossly represented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though comprising less than four per cent of the national population.

These sobering numbers come to light over three decades after a landmark royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which put forward hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

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

One death was in youth detention, and all except one of the deceased were male.

The remaining six deaths took place in police custody, defined as when someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The leading cause of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-inflicted," with "natural causes." The report noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales recorded 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 rising number of First Nations deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's coroner has stated.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths required "thorough and careful scrutiny, dignity and responsibility."

Profile Information and Academic Response

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

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

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with grieving families, stated little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that aimed to address this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the quantity of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are three decades past the inquiry, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

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