French prisons face critical overcrowding and infrastructure crises

French detention facilities are facing severe crises characterized by extreme overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure. In overseas territories, including Mayotte, Guadeloupe, La Réunion, French Guiana, and New Caledonia, reports from the General Control of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL) have highlighted violations of fundamental rights, unsanitary cells, and limited access to healthcare.

In Guadeloupe, structural issues affect both penitentiary establishments and psychiatric services. Similarly, the Majicavo-Koropa prison in Mayotte has been identified as a critical site of concern. These conditions raise questions regarding the state's ability to guarantee human dignity in accordance with legal obligations.

On the mainland, the Rennes-Vezin prison is nearing a breaking point, housing 988 inmates in a facility designed for 712. This overcrowding has led to multiple prisoners sharing cells of less than ten square meters. Authorities have noted that when individual space falls below three square meters, it may constitute a violation of human rights standards regarding inhumane or degrading treatment. The facility also faces a shortage of approximately thirty prison guards.