A Brest prison guard described weekend strain with staff shortages limiting replacements and the challenge of providing showers and walks for detainees in overcrowded conditions.

Rights watchdogs and officials have warned conditions are deteriorating, with the Council of Europe previously criticizing overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, describing prisons as potential “human warehouses.”

A draft justice bill is being prepared to tackle overcrowding and stop mattresses-on-the-floor in cells, but no timetable has been released for submission, debate, or passage.

The article notes that overcrowding worsens conditions once occupancy rates exceed thresholds, highlighting the severity and impact on daily operations.

The Ufap-Unsa union is calling for a nationwide blockade of French prisons on Monday, April 27, to demand urgent measures against overcrowding and staff shortages.

Other unions, such as FO Justice, did not join the action, arguing it was premature; local action plans will be decided by Ufap-Unsa at the level of local secretaries like Wilfried Fonck.

Ufap-Unsa plans include potential local tactics such as blocking prisoner transports, filtering, and canceling visits, with about 80 establishments likely to be affected.

unions argue overcrowding has become uncontrollable with about 88,000 inmates and around 5,000 frontline posts unfilled, calling for emergency action.

The government notes some progress on expulsions of foreign detainees through conditional releases and bilateral agreements, but unions say these steps won’t solve the broader overcrowding and staffing crisis.

Around 5,000 prison officer positions remain unfilled nationwide, contributing to overstretched staff and deteriorating safety conditions.

Beauvais, Amiens, Douai, and Béthune have seen entrances blocked and spontaneous staff protests amid extreme crowding in facilities like Brest’s detention center, which houses far more inmates than its 250-capacity design.

As of March 1, the national overcrowding rate stood at 137.5% with about 87,126 inmates, and plans include 3,000 modular places, though only a fraction of the 15,000 places planned since 2018 have been delivered.