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The number of Indigenous people losing their lives while in custody in Australia has hit its record point since the beginning of records started in 1980.

Recently released statistics indicate that 33 of the 113 people who died in detention in the year leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an uptick from 24 deaths in the prior equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disproportionately represented in the justice system. They constitute more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, despite comprising less than four per cent of the country's population.

These concerning numbers come to light over three decades after a landmark inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which made numerous of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Aboriginal 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.

One death was in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the deceased were male.

The other six fatalities took place in police custody, defined as a situation where someone dies while police are holding or attempting to detain them.

The main reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "illness." The data found that hanging was the method in eight of the deaths.

State-by-State Breakdown

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous deaths in correctional facilities with nine, then Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory each had three deaths.

The growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing milestone," the state's chief medical examiner has stated.

In a recent statement, Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this upward trend was not "mere statistics" and that these deaths demanded "independent and careful scrutiny, dignity and responsibility."

Profile Information and Expert Reaction

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, characterised the figures as reflecting a "country-wide emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with grieving families, said very little has improved since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to address this issue.

"It's infuriating to witness the quantity of investigations I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are three decades past the inquiry, and the situation is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have died in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the report.