The prison administration is part of the Ministry of Justice. It consists of a central administration (Direction de l’administration pénitentiaire), decentralised services (nine inter-regional prison boards and one authority for overseas départements and territories), integration and probation services, a prison employment service and the National School of Prison Administration (École nationale de l’administration pénitentiaire).

The detention regimes vary by institution and sentencing category. Most institutions fall into one of three regimes:
• an open regime, honour system or autonomous system is one in which inmate are free to move about within the lodging area or go to activities
• a semi-open regime or general system is one in which moving about is restricted to certain hours
• a closed regime, strict regime or controlled regime is one in which inmates are confined to their cells and may only leave if a guard opens the door for them.

Semi-custodial facilities accommodate inmates admitted into outside or day placement systems. The prisoner may leave the prison during the day to practise a professional activity or take classes or training courses.
Blocks for adjusted sentences may accommodate sentenced individuals who are subject to day placement measures or an exterior placement as well as sentenced individuals whose remaining prison time is less than a year, in order to allow them to complete a reintegration plan.

Recent construction contracts have been carried out by public-private partnerships (PPP). Even if they represent short-term savings for the public sector, the decision to engage PPPs is often questioned. In December 2017, the Court of Auditors presented a report (here) in which it strongly recommended that the future use of PPPs for justice-related construction projects be avoided. In the report, the Court of Auditors states that the extra cost of changes made during construction, as well as the inflexibility of PPPs, stalls the public prison service’s construction projects, which in turn leads them to question the savings incurred through the use of private contractors.

There are two types of correctional facilities:

(1) Jails (maison d’arrêt) house people who are awaiting trial or sentencing or who have received sentences of two years or less.

(2) Prisons (établissements pour peine) for people who have been sentenced, including:

• prisons, which house at least two units for different types of prisoners
• detention centres and sections
• maximum-security prisons and sections
• semi-custodial facilities and sections (QSL)
• sections for adjusted sentences

A national assessment centre has three sites: Fresnes (capacity of 56), southern Paris (capacity of 231) et Lille-Annœullin (capacity of 30). Six penitentiary establishments for minors are spread out over the nation. The national public health facility in Fresnes has a capacity of 84 individuals.

Correctional facilities are spread out over the entire national territory.

Prison guards receive training at the National School of Prison Administration (École nationale de l’administration pénitentiaire). The duration of training is 6 months (formerly 8 months), followed by a 12-month internship in a correctional setting. Applicants to the program must be at least 19 years old and have earned a secondary school diploma or a recognised equivalent.

Entry-level guards are paid €1,567.