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

Recently released figures show that 33 of the 113 individuals who passed away in custody in the year leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the previous corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people remain severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, despite representing less than four per cent of the country's people.

These disturbing figures emerge more than three decades after a landmark royal commission into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made hundreds of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, twenty-six occurred while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the previous year.

A single death was in youth detention, and the vast majority of the deceased were male.

The other six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as when someone passes away while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The main cause of Indigenous deaths was classified as "self-harm," followed by "illness." The report found that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Breakdown

The state of New South Wales recorded the greatest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, followed by 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 milestone," the state's coroner recently stated.

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

Profile Details and Expert Response

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

A criminal law associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the data as reflecting a "country-wide crisis" that requires "leadership and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with grieving families, stated little has changed since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this crisis.

"It's infuriating to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the problem is getting progressively worse," she commented.

Since the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in detention, which encompasses six in juvenile detention centers, as per the findings.