It’s written in small letters on a door in the men’s quarters: three showers per week, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Except in case of sporting activity. And in a heat wave, nothing changes. “It is not possible to rotate the showers, given the number of cabins and detainees”, explains Saïd Kaba, the director of the Strasbourg prison. He answers questions from Emmanuel Fernandes, MP for the New People’s, Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) in the second constituency of Bas-Rhin. The elected official decided, on Tuesday August 9, to carry out a surprise visit in this Alsatian prison, as the legislation allows him.
“On the other hand, there is access to a shower and a water point in the courtyard”, Said Kaba continues. A walk ofan hour and a halfper day and per inmate. “And so all this time, they can be at twenty-five, in full sun?”asks the deputy, while insisting: “Do the detainees have the possibility of having a bottle of water to quench their thirst?” “Normally, the texts on the heat wave say that when there is no water point, we must authorize the descent with bottles”answers the head of the establishment. “This is not the case in Strasbourg. There is a drinking water point right here.”
We do not come out unscathed from such a visit. – Emmanuel Fernandes, Nupes deputy of Bas-Rhin
The only authorizations for detainees during a heat wave: install fans in the cells and wear a hat or cap. The opposition MP says be marked by these conditions of detention in the exercise yard. “It’s concrete, it’s a shower in the corner but without any privacy. It’s a single tap that serves as an access point to water for all the inmates who walk around”, deplores Emmanuel Fernandes. “These are sensations that remain, that we bring back with either. We do not come out unscathed from such a visit.
A prison at 150% capacity
But this heat is further accentuated by prison overcrowding in the Strasbourg prison. Right now the prison is full to 150% of his abilities : 652 detainees for 432 places. And throughout the visit, it’s the same refrain: “We need more civil servants”, they say on the side of the registry, where inmates are registered after their arrival. Same story in the medical unit. “Unfortunately, our means are calculated on a 100% population and we are at 150%”, deplores Tristan Lepage, general practitioner at the remand center. In July 2020, the national density stood at 118%.
When there is one supervisor for 42 inmates, we cannot carry out our tasks. Dominique Mathieu, staff trainer
“There are delays in taking charge”continues the caregiver. “There are days when you can’t see everyone, some have also been waiting for additional exams for several months. Six months for a cardiology appointment for example, and ophthalmology is downright without delay …” And then there is psychiatry, with prisoners who are never diagnosed. In November 2021, two of them committed suicide in their cell in Strasbourg.
“These conditions have a very direct impact on morale”says Emmanuel Fernandes. “We see that actions are being put in place. We were shown, for example, a buffer cell to isolate people with suicidal tendencies for 24 to 48 hours. Except that we have to be able to detect them”said the chosen one. “When there is one supervisor for 42 detainees, we cannot carry out this kind of task”confirms Dominique Mathieu, who deals with the training of staff at the remand center.
Promote “open prisons”
On leaving prison, the deputy of Nupes reiterates the proposal made by insubordinate France toincrease by 400 million euros the budgets of the Ministry of Justice to improve these conditions of detention. “We offer a vision that comes out of all-prison,” completes Emmanuel Fernandes. “There is a tendency to think that a convict should not only be sentenced to imprisonment, but also suffer during this period of confinement. To caricature, it is the spirit of saying ‘if he went to prison , he deserves it.
The rebellious elected says he wants to promote “alternative” penalties. “Average incarceration costs are lower when it comes to open prisons, which practice much more probation periods and surveillance by electronic means”he explains. “We want to go towards this type of approach.”