France's jails hit breaking point as inmate numbers soar past capacity

France's prison population reached a new high on May 1, with 83,681 inmates housed in facilities designed for only 62,570, according to data released by the justice ministry on Saturday.

In the past year alone, the number of inmates in France has increased by 6,000, pushing the national occupancy rate to 133.7 percent.

This unprecedented overcrowding has resulted in 23 of France's 186 detention centers operating at more than double their intended capacity.

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, who has described the situation as "unacceptable," has proposed the construction of additional facilities to address the surge in inmate numbers.

In mid-May, the minister unveiled plans for a new high-security prison in French Guiana — the overseas territory north of Brazil — intended for the most "dangerous" offenders, including drug lords.

"Prison overcrowding is bad for absolutely everyone," Darmanin said in late April, referencing the "appalling conditions" endured by inmates and "the insecurity and violence" experienced by prison staff.

April also witnessed a series of coordinated attacks on French prisons, with perpetrators setting cars ablaze, riddling a prison entrance with automatic gunfire, and leaving cryptic markings.

The incidents embarrassed the government, particularly its hardline figures like Darmanin and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who have pledged to intensify efforts against narcotics.

Later that month, lawmakers passed a sweeping new bill targeting drug-related crime, which will see some of the country's most dangerous traffickers placed in high-security prison units.

A Council of Europe report published in June 2024 ranked France as one of the worst offenders in Europe for prison overcrowding, placing it third behind Cyprus and Romania.