Prison Population Inflation, Overcrowding and Recidivism the Situation in France

Before looking at the latest research into the recidivism of long-term prisoners which was carried out in France, a general overview is presented as well as an analysis of the change to the French prison population over the last 20 years; a study of the prison population inflation, based on the triptych: stock, flow, duration, as well as the evolution of penal and socio-demographic structures. To study the problem of prison overcrowding, the authors applied a statistical method called concentration analysis, first introduced into prison demography by Pierre Tournier in the work of the Council for Penological Co-operation (Council of Europe).