Italian and French prisons face severe overcrowding crises

In Italy, prison officials and the guarantor of detainees warn that chronic overcrowding has led to mattresses being placed on the floor, staff shortages, rising violence and suicides. Reports cite conditions at Milan’s San Vittore, Opera and the Cesare Beccaria institutions, where cells are double‑occupied and detainees are kept in “despair cells.” The guarantor criticised a circular that permits such practices and called for urgent reforms to guarantee basic human‑rights standards.

In France, the General Inspectorate of Penitentiary Facilities (CGLPL) says the prison system is collapsing, with 88,829 inmates occupying only 63,237 places—a 179 % occupancy rate. The report urges a binding legal mechanism to limit overcrowding, while the Justice Minister has rejected the proposal. The government plans to add 3,000 modular prison spots by 2027, but capacity has not kept pace with inmate growth, leading to severe hygiene and safety problems comparable to Turkey’s situation.

Both countries face systemic challenges in managing prison populations, prompting calls for structural reforms and increased oversight.