Overview

• Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced plans to reintroduce a fee system requiring detainees to contribute a symbolic portion of their incarceration costs.
• The proposed measure aims to address the high operational costs of French prisons, which amount to €10 million daily, or nearly €4 billion annually.
• Funds collected from detainee contributions would be allocated to improving working conditions for penitentiary staff, according to Darmanin's statement.
• Indigent detainees and those in pre-trial detention would be exempt from the fees under the proposed scheme.
• The initiative requires legal amendments and is tied to two bills set for review in the Assemblée nationale in the coming weeks.