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The number of First Nations people dying while in custody in Australia has reached its highest point since official data began in 1980.

New data reveal that 33 of the 113 people who passed away in detention in the year leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an increase from 24 deaths in the previous equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain grossly represented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, even though comprising less than four per cent of the country's people.

These sobering figures come to light more than three decades after a landmark inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made hundreds of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Recent Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, twenty-six took place 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 men.

The other six deaths happened in the custody of law enforcement, defined as when someone dies while police are detaining them.

The leading cause of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The data found that asphyxiation was the method in eight of the deaths.

Geographic Breakdown

The Australian 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 increasing number of First Nations deaths in custody in this state is a "deeply distressing tragedy," the state's chief medical examiner has said.

In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan stressed that this rising pattern was not "just statistics" and that these deaths demanded "thorough and careful scrutiny, respect and accountability."

Profile Details and Expert Reaction

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

A university expert, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "country-wide emergency" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended several official inquiries with bereaved families, said little has changed since the 1991 national inquiry that was established to address this issue.

"It's heartbreaking to witness the number of investigations I attend, the many funerals families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the situation is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have lost their lives in custody, which includes six in juvenile detention centers, according to the findings.