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The count of Indigenous people losing their lives while in detention in Australia has reached its peak point since the beginning of 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 increase from 24 deaths in the prior corresponding period.

Indigenous Australian people are severely overrepresented in the justice system. They make up over 33% of all incarcerated individuals, despite comprising under 4% of the national population.

These sobering figures emerge more than three decades after a pivotal inquiry into First Nations deaths in custody, which made numerous of recommendations.

Detailed Analysis of the Latest Figures

Of the 33 Indigenous deaths in custody logged between last July and this June, 26 took place while in prison custody, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.

A single death was in a juvenile facility, and the vast majority of the deceased were men.

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

The leading reason of Indigenous deaths was categorised as "self-harm," followed by "natural causes." The data found that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.

State-by-State Distribution

The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Indigenous deaths in prison custody with nine, followed by Western Australia with six. Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory all recorded three deaths.

The rising number of Indigenous deaths in custody in New South Wales is a "profoundly distressing tragedy," the state's coroner recently remarked.

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

Profile Information and Academic Response

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

A criminal law expert, Amanda Porter, described the data as representing a "country-wide crisis" that requires "decisive action and political action."

Ms. Porter, who has attended multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, said very little has changed since the 1991 royal commission that aimed to tackle this issue.

"It's infuriating to see the quantity of inquests I attend, the many memorials families have to attend, and the reality that we are 30 years past the royal commission, and the situation is getting progressively more severe," she noted.

Since the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in custody, which includes six in youth detention, according to the report.