French prisons have reached a record level with 88,654 inmates

Paris – 30.05.2026: French prisons recorded a new record on May 1, 2026 — the total number of inmates reached 88,654 people. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of more than 5,000 persons, representing a growth of 6.3 percent. However, the number of available places for detention increased by less than 1,000 (1.6 percent), causing overcrowding to continue rising.

The situation is particularly critical in remand centers, where individuals serving short sentences or awaiting court verdicts and therefore considered innocent are held. There, the occupancy rate is 171.1 percent — significantly higher than the average rate across the entire system, which stands at 139.1 percent.

France is among the European countries with the highest prisoner density. Compared to other European states, only Slovenia and Cyprus have recorded higher overcrowding, but the total number of inmates there is significantly lower.

As early as January 2026, the Council of Europe warned in its report about the danger of French prisons increasingly turning into “camps for people.” Special criticism was directed at overcrowded facilities, poor sanitary conditions, and the rising level of violence among inmates.

Overcrowding is also felt in the daily life of prisons: as of April 1, 2026, an additional 7,540 mattresses had to be laid out directly on the floors of cells nationwide — 60 percent more than last year. In 30 of the 190 prisons surveyed, two people are held in space designed for one, meaning an occupancy of 200 percent or more.

This situation leads to increased tension and protests among staff. On April 27, 2026, blockades were carried out nationwide by prison guards who sought to draw attention to chronic overcrowding and staff shortages. The UFAP-UNSA union called for filling about 5,000 vacant positions to improve the situation.

The Ministry of Justice plans to create a total of 3,000 additional places in modular prisons by 2027 to ease the situation. However, of the 15,000 place expansion planned since 2018, less than a third has been implemented so far.

Prolonged prison overcrowding remains a key problem for the French judicial system. It worsens inmates’ conditions, creates risks for staff working conditions, and increases the likelihood of violence and riots in institutions. Further investments and reforms are needed for sustainable improvement.