French Prison Staff Launch Blockades Over Overcrowding Crisis

(MENAFN) Prison staff across France began coordinated blockades on Monday in protest against worsening overcrowding and persistent staffing shortages, which unions say are pushing the country’s prison system toward crisis, according to reports.

The action, organized primarily by the Ufap-Unsa Justice union and supported by other groups including CGT-Penitentiaire and SPS-CEA, is expected to disrupt operations in nearly half of France’s correctional facilities.

Union sources told a media outlet that around 80 prisons out of fewer than 190 nationwide could be affected. Protesters have adopted the slogan: “No one enters, no one leaves,” as part of their coordinated action.

The unions say they are seeking to “impose a balance of power” on authorities, describing the current situation as increasingly unmanageable. Data from the Justice Ministry indicates that French prisons are holding around 88,000 inmates despite capacity for just over 63,000, resulting in an occupancy rate of approximately 137 percent.

Reports also indicate that thousands of detainees are forced to sleep on mattresses placed on cell floors due to lack of space.

Union representatives have warned that conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous for both inmates and staff. Ufap-Unsa Justice official Alexandre Caby said: “The prisons have become real powder kegs,” adding that officers are “holding the system together by sheer force.”

Staffing shortages are compounding the pressure, with unions estimating around 5,000 vacant positions across the system. Officers have also reported rising levels of violence and burnout, while some facilities are struggling to maintain basic day-to-day operations.

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