“It’s getting worse and worse”, according to Dominique Simonnot, general controller of places of deprivation of liberty

Conditions of detention in French prisons are “worse and worse”, Dominique Simonnot is outraged on Thursday October 3 on Franceinfo. The general controller of places of deprivation of liberty publishes a report which shows that appeals against unworthy conditions of detention remain “limited and poorly mobilized” by prisoners despite a record number of inmates in French prisons.

As of September 1, French prisons had 62,014 operational places for 78,969 inmates. “It’s catastrophic, both the guards and the inmates are left abandoned,” insists Dominique Simonnot. “What do we expect from the sentence?” she asks herself. “Paying 110 to 120 euros per day for an inmate to create recidivism seems a bit expensive to me”adds Dominique Simonnot who affirms that “reintegration to learn a profession”, “learning to live in society”, East “impossible” in prison.

“There is not a week when prison doctors do not call us to say ‘help, we can no longer treat people’”reports Dominique Simonnot who recalls that in prison 30% of prisoners suffer from serious mental disorders. Doctors explain “that there are no longer enough supervisors” to bring in the detainees, too numerous.

The short and immediately executed sentences desired by the Prime Minister “already exist”, reacts Dominique Simonnot. Concerning the construction of prisons, also mentioned by Michel Barnier, “It’s a promise that won’t come to fruition”she believes.

“15,000 places were promised in 2017, less than 5,000 which came out of the ground.”

Dominique Simonnot, general controller of places of deprivation of liberty

on franceinfo

She calls on lawyers to take up appeals against the undignified conditions in detention, “if this is the only way to move the lines, the government and prison policy”, she concludes.