The number of Indigenous people dying while in detention in Australia has climbed to its highest point since the beginning of records began in 1980.
Fresh data show that 33 of the 113 individuals who died in custody in the year leading up to June have been identified as of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This marks an uptick from 24 fatalities in the previous corresponding period.
Indigenous Australian people remain severely represented in the justice system. They make up more than one-third of all incarcerated individuals, even though representing less than four per cent of the national people.
These concerning numbers come to light over three decades after a seminal royal commission into First Nations deaths in custody, which made numerous of proposed changes.
Of the 33 Aboriginal deaths in custody recorded between last July and this June, twenty-six took place while in a correctional facility, which is an increase from 18 in the prior year.
One death occurred in youth detention, and all except one of the individuals were men.
The remaining six deaths took place in police custody, defined as when someone dies while police are detaining them.
The main reason of First Nations deaths was classified as "self-inflicted," followed by "natural causes." The data noted that hanging was the method in eight of the cases.
The state of New South Wales had the highest number of Aboriginal 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 increasing number of Indigenous deaths in custody in this state is a "profoundly distressing reality," the state's coroner recently remarked.
In a recent statement, Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan emphasised that this rising trend was not "just statistics" and that these deaths required "independent and careful examination, dignity and accountability."
The mean age of those who died was 45 years, and 11 of the individuals were awaiting a sentence.
A university associate professor, Amanda Porter, described the figures as representing a "national emergency" that needs "leadership and government action."
Ms. Porter, who has been present at multiple official inquiries with bereaved families, said little has improved since the 1991's national inquiry that was established to address this issue.
"It's heartbreaking to witness 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 problem is getting increasingly worse," she noted.
Since the royal commission, a total of 600 Indigenous people have died in detention, which includes six in youth detention, as per the findings.
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