France Sets Record with Over 81,000 Inmates in Overcrowded Prisons

French prisons face severe overcrowding, with 130.8% occupancy and thousands sleeping on floors, as officials announce measures to address the crisis.

As of February 1, 2025, French prisons held 81,599 inmates, surpassing their capacity of 62,363 operational places, marking a record high.
The overall prison density in France reached 130.8%, with 18 facilities exceeding 200% occupancy and 4,490 inmates forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor.
Pretrial detainees, who are either awaiting judgment or serving short sentences, make up 21,631 of the incarcerated population, with detention centers reaching 158.9% occupancy.
France ranks third-worst in Europe for prison overcrowding, following Cyprus and Romania, according to a June 2024 Council of Europe report.
Planned measures include doubling semi-liberty spaces by 2027, banning prison sentences under one month, and expanding community service programs to alleviate overcrowding and support reintegration.