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The number of First Nations people dying while in detention in Australia has hit its peak point since official data began in 1980.

Fresh figures show that 33 of the 113 people who died in custody in the 12-month period leading up to June were of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This represents an rise from 24 deaths in the preceding equivalent period.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remain severely overrepresented in the criminal justice system. They constitute over 33% of all prisoners, despite representing less than four per cent of the country's people.

These disturbing figures come to light over three decades after a pivotal inquiry into Indigenous deaths in custody, which put forward numerous of proposed changes.

Breakdown of the Recent Statistics

Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody logged 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 occurred in a juvenile facility, and all except one of the individuals were male.

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

The leading reason of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," with "illness." The data noted that asphyxiation was the cause in eight of the deaths.

Geographic 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 all recorded three deaths.

The growing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner has said.

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

Demographic Information and Academic Response

The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and eleven of the individuals were still waiting for a sentence.

A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, characterised the figures as representing a "national emergency" that needs "decisive action and government action."

Ms. Porter, who has been present at several coronial inquests with grieving families, stated very little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to see the number of inquests I attend, the number funerals families have to attend, and the fact that we are 30 years past the inquiry, and the situation is getting increasingly more severe," she noted.

Since the landmark inquiry, a approximately 600 Indigenous people have died in detention, which includes six in youth detention, according to the findings.