Overview

• As of March 1, 2025, French prisons hold a record 82,152 inmates, far exceeding the system's capacity of 62,539 places.
• The overall occupancy rate stands at 131.7%, with remand centers housing pre-trial detainees reaching 159.9% density.
• More than 4,580 inmates are sleeping on mattresses placed on the floor due to severe overcrowding across facilities.
• Efforts to address the crisis include plans to build 15,000 additional prison places by 2029 and the construction of modular prisons for less dangerous inmates.
• France ranks third in Europe for prison overcrowding, trailing only Cyprus and Romania, according to a 2024 Council of Europe study.