French prisons are experiencing a record high of 77,450 detainees, significantly exceeding the 61,570 operational capacity.

Overcrowding has reached critical levels, with some facilities operating at 200% capacity and over 3,300 inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

The Council of Europe has raised serious concerns and is pushing for a national mechanism to regulate the prison population in France.

Current government measures, including the elimination of sentences under one month and the promotion of alternative penalties, are seen as inadequate.

Plans to construct 15,000 new prison spaces by 2027 are in motion, but there is a consensus that more immediate solutions are required to alleviate the crisis.