The Nimes prison is the focus of all attention. In less than a week,two deputies came to visit the establishment. The first visit was Sunday with the deputy of Loire-Atlantique, Ségolène Amiot, followed this Tuesday by the deputy RN of Gard, Yoann Gillot. They both came note the conditions of detention and the work of the guards.
One of the most overcrowded establishments in France
It must be said that the prison of Nîmes is one of the most overcrowded establishments in France. There are 423 detainees for only 200 placess. The situation is not new. The establishment is regularly singled out for its reception conditions deemed inhuman, with sometimes three detainees in a 9 m² cell. Moreover, an expansion is planned for 2024 with 150 additional places.
“You can be deprived of freedom but not of dignity, deplores a detainee who was able to exchange with Yoann Gillot. That one is deprived of liberty is a fact. On the other hand, in order for us to understand the sanction and reintegrate behind it, we need a minimum of respect.
The director of the establishment recognize a difficult situation. But according to her, the prison keeps its role. “We always have these objectives of custody and reintegrationexplains Aurélie Martinière, the director of the establishment. There are many things that are put in place for the prison population to be able to carry out our missions. We have a lot of staff who do their job with passion.”
In spite of a displayed good will, the visits of these two deputies should not remain without consequence. “I will write to the director to share my findingssays Ségolène Amiot. For example, on the working conditions in the prison but also on the presence of gratings, these small grids installed on the windows in addition to the traditional bars, which are prohibited by the European Court of Human Rights.
Debate on the vision of prisons
The member for Loire-Atlantique also wishes go further in the organization of prisons. It is not necessarily for the creation of new places. “What type of prison do we want? Do we want prisoners capable of reintegrating into society or do we prefer people who have been completely disconnected from society because the living conditions in which they lived are not human”. Ségolène Amiot specifies for example that the images of karting in the prison of Fresnes did not shock her.
These declarations made react the other deputy who visited the site. “Mind-boggling words”, lamented Yoann Gillot. He estimates that “the place of delinquents and criminals is in prison and justice must be more severe”. He also wishes uupgrading and a significant increase in the number of supervisors.