Overview

• The Council of Europe’s latest report shows occupancy rose from 93.5 to 94.9 inmates per 100 places, with Slovenia (134), Cyprus (132) and France (124) topping the overcrowding rankings.
• France’s prison population climbed to 84,447 by June 1, and its remand centers averaged 160% capacity, prompting warnings from prison staff unions and magistrates.
• All 51 member administrations reported a median incarceration rate of 105 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants, pushing Europe’s total prison population past one million.
• Drug offences (16.7%) and theft (12.3%) are the leading causes of imprisonment, and experts warn that overcrowding is undermining rehabilitation efforts.
• Unions and reintegration specialists are renewing appeals for shorter sentences for nonviolent offenders and broader use of alternatives to incarceration.