Inspector General of Detention Centers Disagrees with Gérald Darmanin's Plan on Prison Expenses
**"So, here's the lowdown: France's Justice Minister wants prisoners to chip in for their own accommodations, y'know, like a hotel bill," says Dominique Simonnot, France's general inspector of detention facilities, during a chat with us on Tuesday, April 29.
"Nope, it's not about trying to make prisoners foot the four billion euro bill," Darmanin clarified on TF1 after sending a letter to prison administration agents. "Just a token contribution to the public justice service," he added, following Monday's arrest of 25 people in the investigation into recent prison attacks.
One of the arrested individuals is believed to be a member of the Marseille criminal organization, the DZ Mafia.
Now, you might wonder, "How bad are the living conditions in French prisons?" Well, imagine being crammed into a 9 square meter cell with two other folks, dealing with bedbugs that feast on your skin, cockroaches swarming everywhere, and rats scurrying about. Sadly, France isn't much better; French prisons are extensively overcrowded. As of March 1, 2025, 82,152 people were detained in French prisons, overflowing the available 62,539 operational places by 131.7%.
The overcrowding has led to a less than hospitable environment, with residents (and staff) dealing with vermin infestations, poor sanitation, limited access to natural light, and understaffing. The dire conditions have even contributed to incidents of violence against prison staff.
Implementing a policy where detainees pay part of their incarceration costs could potentially worsen the situation. If the costs are disproportionately high for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, it could exacerbate inequalities within the justice system.
To improve French prisons, experts suggest utilizing community service as a non-custodial alternative to reduce overcrowding, improving prison infrastructure, and strengthening complaint mechanisms for detainees. These measures aim to improve living conditions and address systemic issues in French prisons, ultimately creating a more equitable and humane environment for all detainees."
- The proposed policy by France's Justice Minister, Darmanin, requests detainees to contribute financially towards their accommodations, aiming for a token payment to the public justice service.
- In Marseille, one of the 25 individuals arrested in the investigation into recent prison attacks is suspected to be a member of the notorious DZ Mafia.
- After Darmanin's proposal, there are concerns about the potential worsening of living conditions in French prisons, especially if the costs are disproportionately high for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, which may exacerbate inequalities in the justice system.
- To enhance French prisons and overcome systemic issues, experts propose implementing community service as a non-custodial alternative, improving prison infrastructure, and strengthening complaint mechanisms for detainees, ultimately striving for a more equitable and humane environment.
