France Prison Population Hits Record 89,668

Overview

• The number of people in French prisons reached 89,668 on 1 August 2026, a 6.5% increase from a year earlier, according to Justice Ministry statistics.
• Only 63,303 operational places were available on that date, producing an overall occupancy rate of 141.6% and a 175% density in maisons d'arrêt where pretrial detainees and short-term prisoners are held.
• Prison staff reported 7,956 mattresses placed on the floor for lack of beds, a 43.5% rise versus 1 August 2025, reflecting deteriorating living conditions and greater risk of violence and poor sanitation.
• The Ministry of Justice plans to add 3,000 modular places, with half targeted for 2027, while noting that fewer than one third of the 15,000 places promised in a 2018 plan have been delivered.
• European and national monitors, including the Council of Europe and Contrôleure générale Dominique Simonnot, say new buildings alone will not fix the crisis and call for nationwide measures and greater use of alternatives to incarceration.