The number of people incarcerated in French prisons rose again in February, to 64,405 detainees on March 1 against 63,802 on February 1, according to statistical data from the Ministry of Justice.
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With 60,775 operational places in 188 prisons in France, the overall prison density stands at 106%, against 105% the previous month and 103.4% on January 1.
This density is 123.8% in remand centers (against 122.7% on February 1), where prisoners awaiting trial and those sentenced to short sentences are held.
It is greater than or equal to 120% in 76 penitentiary establishments, and reaches 207.7% in La Roche-sur-Yon or 176.6% in Tulle.
As of March 1, 849 detainees were forced to sleep on a mattress on the floor.
This number, which measures overcrowding, has also been increasing for several months (422 mattresses placed on the floor on July 1, 2020, 587 on October 1, 2020, 688 on January 1, 2021 and 740 on February 1, 2021).
Among the detainees, 18,587 are warned, that is to say imprisoned pending trial, or nearly a third of the prison population.
A total of 78,342 people were placed in jail on March 1, including 13,937 who were not detained and were placed under electronic surveillance or placed outside.
The proportion of women (4% of the total imprisoned population) is stable, as is that of minors (around 1%).
The prison population had experienced a significant and unprecedented decline during the spring 2020 confinement, due to a reduction in delinquency and early release measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in detention .
The number of detainees had thus fallen from 72,575 on March 16, 2020 (a record) to 59,463 two months later.
The prison population has exceeded 62,000 prisoners since October.
