- Country
- France
- Ministry responsible
- Ministère de la Justice et des Libertés
- Prison administration
- Direction de l'Administration Pénitentiaire
- Contact address
-
DAP/SCERI 13 Place Vendome, 75042 Paris, France
France - Telephone
- Fax
- Head of prison administration
-
Stéphane Bredin, Directeur de l'Administration Pénitentiaire
Prison population data
| Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) |
87,126
at 1.3.2026 (national prison administration - including French overseas departments and territories; excluding 18,893 persons not detained in penal institutions (écroués non détenus))
|
|---|---|
| Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
127
based on an estimated national population of 68.42 million at beginning of March 2026 (from estimates by INSEE - French national statistics institute)
|
| Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
31.1%
(1.3.2026)
|
| Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
3.4%
(1.3.2026)
|
| Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) |
1.0%
(1.3.2026 - mineurs)
|
| Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) |
24.6%
(31.1.2024)
|
| Number of establishments / institutions |
187
(2021)
|
| Official capacity of prison system |
64,388
(1.3.2026)
|
| Occupancy level (based on official capacity) |
135.3%
(1.3.2026)
|
Prison population trend
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate |
|---|---|---|
| 48,049 | 82 | |
| 45,319 | 76 | |
| 55,355 | 91 | |
| 55,633 | 91 | |
| 59,468 | 96 | |
| 62,467 | 99 | |
| 72,796 | 114 | |
| 71,190 | 110 | |
| 74,244 | 114 | |
| 77,062 | 119 | |
| 77,183 | 118 |
Prison population total
Prison population rate
- Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
- Female prison population: trend
- Prison population trend up to 2000
Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
FRANCE
(including French overseas departments and territories)
| Year | Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment | Percentage of total prison population | Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 | 16,562 20,228 15,226 17,602 19,951 | 33.9% 35.7% 25.0% 26.3% 34.0% | 27 32 23 26 29 |
| 2026 | 27,125 | 31.1% | 40 |
Note: The percentages in the table above do not include écroués non détenus – those not located in a penal institution (e.g. because they are serving their sentences under electronic surveillance).
It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete
The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
Female prison population: trend
The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.
It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.
The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.
FRANCE
(including French overseas departments and territories)
| Year | Number of female prisoners | Percentage of total prison population | Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 | 1,828 2,077 2,006 2,183 2,033 | 3.7% 3.7% 3.3% 3.3% 3.5% | 3.0 3.3 3.1 3.3 3.5 |
| 2026 | 2,983 | 3.4% | 4.4 |
Note: The percentages in the table above do not include écroués non détenus – those not located in a penal institution (e.g. because they are serving their sentences under electronic surveillance).
The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.
The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.
(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column).
Prison population trend up to 2000
The figures below give an indication of the prison population trend in the years up to 2000. They supplement the more recent figures that are shown at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs below.
These figures, and those at the foot of the Overview page and in the graphs, are for metropolitan France, not including prisoners in French overseas departments and territories in Africa (Mayotte and Reunion), the Caribbean (Guadeloupe and Martinique), the Pacific (French Polynesia and New Caledonia) and South America (French Guiana/ Guyane).
FRANCE
| Year | Prison population total | Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) |
| 1932 1937 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 | 19,409 16,930 36,754 20,086 26,795 31,245 29,026 26,032 35,655 42,937 43,913 51,623 48,049 | 46 40 88 46 59 64 57 49 66 78 78 89 82 |
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