France is facing a worsening crisis in its prisons after the number of detainees approached 90,000 in August, compared to a capacity that does not exceed about 63,300 places. The occupancy rate reached a record level of 141.6%, while 7,956 prisoners were forced to sleep on floor mattresses, amid international and European warnings of the danger of overcrowding and detention conditions.

Published on: 09/03/2026 - 00:42

The number of prisoners in France reached a new record high in August, approaching 90,000, while the occupancy rate of penal institutions reached its highest levels ever, according to data issued by the Ministry of Justice.

About 90,000 prisoners in France and a record occupancy rate

The number of detainees in French prisons on August 1 reached 89,668 people, compared to a capacity not exceeding about 63,300 places, in a country with a population of 69 million people.

The prison occupancy rate reached a record level of 141.6%, exceeding the previous figure recorded in February of 136.9%.

Overcrowding forced 7,956 prisoners to sleep on mattresses placed on the floor, an increase of 43.5% compared to the same period last year.

Pretrial detention centers record an occupancy rate of 175%

In pretrial detention centers, which house people awaiting trial or serving short sentences, the occupancy rate rose to 175%.

The Council of Europe, the continent's human rights body, reported in May that France and Turkey had the highest rates of prison overcrowding in Europe.

In the same month, UN experts concerned with the prevention of torture visited France and called on the authorities to address “dangerous” overcrowding in prisons, warning that detention conditions violate the rights of prisoners and may amount to “inhuman or degrading” treatment.

A plan to build prisons and provide thousands of additional places

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin announced in late January his intention to address overcrowding by building more prisons.

The Ministry intends to provide 3,000 additional places in prisons built using prefabricated units, half of which will enter service by 2027.

But a previous plan launched in 2018 provided only less than a third of the 15,000 new places that had been pledged.

France 24/AFP

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