more than 72,000 detainees on July 1, 2,000 more than in March

The number of detainees in France continues to grow with 72,067 people incarcerated on July 1, nearly 2,000 more than four months ago, according to statistical data from the Ministry of Justice published on Tuesday July 26.

On July 1, French prison establishments had 72,067 prisoners for 60,702 operational places, i.e. a prison density of 118.7% against 112.5% ​​a year ago.

These figures are almost at the level of the absolute record recorded in March 2020 (72,575 detainees), on the eve of the confinement decided to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and which had led to a drastic drop in the number of prisoners.

But since the fall of 2020, the prison population has continued to increase month after month. The symbolic threshold of 70,000 detainees was again exceeded on March 1, 2022. Over one year, there were 4,096 more prisoners – they were 67,971 on July 1, 2021 – an increase of 6%.

According to official figures from the ministry, 14,586 detainees are currently in excess of the places available in penitentiary establishments. Prison density stands at 140.7% in remand centers, where prisoners awaiting trial – and therefore presumed innocent – and those sentenced to short sentences are imprisoned.

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Fifty-three French prisons have a density greater than 150%. This density even exceeds 200% in five establishments (including 215.8% in Perpignan, 214.1% in Carcassonne or 212% in Bordeaux-Gradignan). Because of this overcrowding, 1,872 prisoners in France are forced to sleep on mattresses placed on the floor.