France Prison Overcrowding Reaches Unprecedented Crisis Levels

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, …

Recent data published by the French Ministry of Justice indicates that the country’s detention facilities are facing an unprecedented overcrowding crisis. Official figures show that the total number of incarcerated individuals in France reached 90,937, while the total official capacity of these correctional facilities stands at only 63,452.

Consequently, the national prison occupancy rate has climbed to 143.3 percent. Due to a severe shortage of beds, approximately 8,959 inmates were forced to sleep directly on the floor, marking an increase of nearly 52 percent compared to the previous year.

Conditions in several French detention centers are described as even more critical, with inmate populations exceeding double their legal capacities. This worsening crisis extends beyond bed shortages; in recent years, European bodies and United Nations organizations have repeatedly issued warnings regarding severe congestion, inadequate hygiene, rising violence, and the violation of fundamental rights of detainees in the country.

Furthermore, assessments stemming from recent social unrest and protests in France indicate that the number of detainees and individuals currently held in police custody has surpassed 12,000.