As of October 1, 2024, France's prison population has surged to 79,631, while the number of operational places stands at only 62,279, resulting in an alarming incarceration density of 127.9%.

In some detention facilities, overcrowding is even more severe, with densities exceeding 200%, highlighting a critical crisis within the prison system.

Contributing to this overcrowding crisis is a high pre-trial detention rate of 26%, alongside a significant number of inmates suffering from psychiatric disorders, many of whom are ill-suited for prison environments.

Interestingly, the increase in prison population is not due to more admissions, but rather a nearly tripled average length of detention over the past 25 years.

Despite attempts to expand prison capacity, the gap between inmates and available spaces has only widened since 1987, with the number of inmates sleeping on the floor more than doubling from 1,424 to 3,810 between 2017 and 2024.

A June 2024 report from the Council of Europe indicated that France is one of 12 European countries with a prison density exceeding 100%, trailing only Cyprus and Romania.

The situation is compounded by a history of fluctuating criminal justice policies that have resulted in complex legislation, hindering effective reforms aimed at reducing prison populations.

In light of these challenges, Jean-Paul Céré emphasizes in 'Le Monde' the urgent need for reforms to enhance detention conditions in France.

The critical state of French prisons was further underscored by a recent mutiny at the overcrowded prison in Majicavo, Mayotte, on September 28, 2024.