Prison density in France stands at 119.2%, against 114.5% a year ago.
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The number of detainees in France is approaching its absolute record with 72,350 people incarcerated on October 1, against 71,669 the previous month, according to statistics from the Ministry of Justice published on Monday October 31. On October 1, French prison establishments had 60,709 operational places and 3,296 free places, i.e. a prison density of 119.2% against 114.5% 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. Over one year, there are 3,177 more prisoners – there were 69,173 on October 1, 2021 – an increase of 4.6%.
According to official figures from the ministry, 14,937 detainees are currently in excess of the places available in penitentiary establishments. Prison density stands at 141.5% in remand centers, where prisoners awaiting trial – and therefore presumed innocent – and those sentenced to short sentences are imprisoned.
Fifty-seven French prisons have a density greater than 150%. This density even exceeds 200% in three establishments: 220.3% in Carcassonne, 215% in Nîmes and 207.7% in Bordeaux-Gradignan. Due to this overcrowding, 2,053 prisoners in France are forced to sleep on mattresses placed on the floor.
Among the detainees, 19,372 are defendants, imprisoned awaiting trial. The number of female prisoners (3.4% of the total prison population) is down slightly, as is that of minors (0.8%).