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The count of First Nations people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since official data began in 1980.

New figures show that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period ending in June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an uptick from 24 fatalities in the preceding corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain grossly represented in the criminal justice system. They make up over 33% of all prisoners, despite comprising under 4% of the country's people.

These disturbing figures emerge over three decades after a pivotal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged 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 male.

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

The leading reason of First Nations deaths was categorised as "self-harm," with "illness." The report found that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Aboriginal deaths in correctional facilities with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The increasing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing reality," the state's chief medical examiner has stated.

In October, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this upward trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, respect and responsibility."

Demographic Details and Expert Reaction

The average age of those who died was 45, and 11 of the deceased were still waiting for a court sentencing.

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

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, stated very little has improved since the 1991 royal commission 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 three decades after the inquiry, and the situation is getting progressively worse," she noted.

From the time of the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 First Nations people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.