Prisons in France are full… – Number of inmates reaches record high!

The number of inmates held in French prisons has reached 90,900 setting a new record.

TodayPress TV reports that the “Agence France-Presse” news agency published the figures, citing a report by the country’s Ministry of Justice.

According to the report, the inmate population has increased by 7.2% since October 1, 2025. Over the same period, the number of available prison places rose by just 1.5%, reaching 63,452.

Occupancy rates in facilities holding people serving short prison sentences or awaiting court decisions have climbed to 178%. Overall prison occupancy stands at 143.3%.

According to AFP, the Ministry of Justice plans to create an additional 3,000 places in modular prisons, which are less expensive to build. Construction of half of these places is already underway. The first such facility is expected to open by the end of autumn in the commune of Troyes, in northeastern France.

Aysel Matlab