France has 186 prisons with a total capacity of 62,363 inmates. But with over 81,000 people incarcerated, prison overcrowding rates are the highest in Europe, ahead of Cyprus and Romania. This leads to constant tensions and explosive situations putting prison staff on the front line. Across France, attacks on prison guards are on the rise, with more than 4,000 cases reported each year. We were granted unprecedented access to three iconic French prisons to reveal the extremely alarming situation from the inside.
In Fresnes, just south of Paris, inmates are living among rats and cockroaches. These unsanitary conditions are exacerbating tensions and making the work of prison officers extremely dangerous. Today, their job goes beyond simply maintaining order; they have to manage a flammable mix of individuals and hold together petty criminals, radicalised prisoners and the mentally ill, significantly increasing the risk of violence.
In recent years, prison guards have had to face up to a new reality: the number of prisoners suffering from mental disorders continues to rise, transforming prisons into substitute psychiatric institutions. Yet the resources available for treatment are woefully inadequate.
At the Santé prison in the heart of Paris, another scourge is eating away at the prison system: trafficking of all kinds. From mobile phones, to drugs and meals delivered by drone, illegal trade is thriving behind bars. Despite increased surveillance and random searches, security teams are struggling to stem the tide of this parallel economy, fuelled by well organised networks and encroaching corruption.
In Villepinte, in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, the situation is critical. Though the prison is full, guards have no choice but to continue taking in new arrivals. Every incarceration becomes a logistical headache. In these conditions, maintaining order and guaranteeing a minimum level of security to both prisoners and staff is no mean feat.
Through an uncompromising investigation, this documentary lifts the veil on the reality of French prisons, diving into the heart of a prison system on the brink of collapse.