French Prisons Hit Record High with 79,631 Inmates

Chronic overcrowding persists as France struggles with a prison population exceeding capacity by nearly 28%.

The number of inmates in French prisons reached a new record of 79,631 as of October 1, 2024, marking an increase of approximately 5,300 over the past year.
France's prisons currently have 62,279 operational places, resulting in an overall occupancy rate of 127.9%.
Severe overcrowding is evident in remand centers, with occupancy rates reaching 155%, and some facilities exceeding 200%.
About 3,810 inmates are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor due to a lack of available beds.
Despite measures like banning short sentences and promoting alternative punishments, these efforts have proven inadequate to alleviate the overcrowding crisis.