French Prisons Hit New Record as Inmate Count Exceeds 90,000

The number of prisoners in French jails exceeded the 90,000 mark for the first time, registering a new record level, according to the latest statistics from the French Ministry of Justice.

Data showed that the number of detainees in French prisons reached 90,020 inmates as of September 1, while the official capacity of the French prison system does not exceed 63,300 inmates.

The prison occupancy rate reached approximately 142.1% nationally, while this percentage exceeded 200% in some prisons, amid a continued rise in the number of detainees over the past months.

This record figure comes amidst repeated international criticism of conditions in French prisons. The United Nations had called on Paris to take urgent measures to address overcrowding, warning of its repercussions on prisoners and what it may cause in terms of inhuman or degrading treatment violating dignity.
As noted earlier by the Council of Europe, France and Turkey recorded the highest levels of prison overcrowding among member states of the organization.

France has faced criticism for years regarding detention conditions, with the European Court of Human Rights issuing several rulings condemning prison conditions in the country.
In July 2023, the court ruled that overcrowding in French prisons, along with the failure to take effective and targeted measures to improve conditions, led to violations of certain provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights.