On December 1, French prison establishments had 72,836 prisoners for 60,698 operational places, i.e. a prison density of 120%, against 115.2% a year ago.
The number of detainees in France again reached a record high, at 72,836 people incarcerated in December, after an all-time high in November, according to statistical data from the Ministry of Justice. French prisons thus have 27 more prisoners than in November, the month during which prison overcrowding had exceeded the previous record recorded in March 2020, on the eve of confinement. Measures then taken by the executive to curb the pandemic in prison had led to a drastic drop in the number of prisoners.
Since then, the statistics have risen regularly until they approach a historic high in October. Over a year in December, there were 2,844 more prisoners, an increase of 4%.
2133 detainees sleep on mattresses on the floor
According to official figures from the ministry, 15,420 detainees are currently in excess of the places available in penitentiary establishments (compared to 12,999 a year ago). Due to this overcrowding, 2,133 people are forced to sleep on mattresses placed on the floor.
3.6% of prisoners are women and 0.8% minors. More than a quarter of detainees (26.4%) are defendants, ie people awaiting trial – and therefore presumed innocent. The prison density in remand centers, where these defendants and those sentenced to short sentences are imprisoned, stands at 142.8%.
