French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has announced his intention to reinstate a policy requiring prisoners to contribute financially to the cost of their incarceration. He made the statement on Monday, April 28, adding that the relevant legislative amendments will be introduced shortly.
Darmanin explained that the proposed changes aim to improve working conditions for prison staff. According to him, until 2003, France had a fixed daily fee for prison stays, similar to hospital charges, and he now plans to reintroduce this system.
He emphasized that the proposal does not imply full cost recovery from inmates but rather seeks a symbolic contribution to support the justice system. The draft law is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly in the near future.
Meanwhile, prison overcrowding remains a pressing issue. As of March 1, French prisons held 82,152 inmates, despite having an official capacity of only 62,539 — a population density of 131.7%.
