Country | France |
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Ministry responsible |
Ministère de la Justice et des Libertés
|
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Prison administration |
Direction de l'Administration Pénitentiaire
|
Contact address |
DAP/SCERI 13 Place Vendome, 75042 Paris, France
|
Telephone |
+33 1 49 96 28 15
|
Fax |
+33 1 49 96 28 80
|
Website | |
Head of prison administration (and title) | Stéphane Bredin
Directeur de l'Administration Pénitentiaire
|
Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners) | 80 130
at 1.11.2024 (national prison administration - including French overseas departments and territories; excluding 16,439 persons not detained in penal institutions (écroués non détenus))
|
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Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population) | 117
based on an estimated national population of 68.23 million at beginning of November 2024 (from estimates by INSEE - French national statistics institute)
|
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 30.4%
(1.11.2024)
|
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 3.4%
(1.11.2024)
|
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population) | 1.0%
(1.11.2024 - mineurs)
|
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population) | 25.1%
(31.1.2023)
|
Number of establishments / institutions | 187
(2021)
|
Official capacity of prison system | 62 357
(1.11.2024)
|
Occupancy level (based on official capacity) | 128.5%
(1.11.2024)
|
Prison population trend (year, prison population total, prison population rate) |
|
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Lack of Personnel in French Prisons Leads to Protests
French prisons have most suicides in Europe
La France, cinquième en Europe pour les suicides en prison
Violence rife in juvenile prisons, as parents remain silent
French prison wardens struggle with drunken inmates
Pages
- 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 | Percentage | Pre-trial/remand |
2000 | 16,562 | 33.9% | 27 |
2024 | 24,369 | 30.4% | 36 |
Note: The percentages in the table above do not include ecrouees non detenues – 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 | Percentage | Female prison |
2000 | 1,828 | 3.7% | 3.0 |
2024 | 2,755 | 3.4% | 4.0 |
Note: The percentages in the table above do not include ecrouees non detenues – 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 |
Prison population rate |
1932 |
19,409 |
46 |