The distribution of prisoners according to the duration of their sentence is, as at 31 December, 2018, the following ¹:

• less than six months: 8.98 % (4 583)

• six months to one year: 19.58 % (9 993)

• one to two years: 21.93 % (11 192)

• two to five years: 24.70 % (12 604)

• five to ten years: 12.41 % (6 333)

• ten to thirty years: 11.17 % (5 697)

• life sentence: 1.08 % (551)

• death sentence: 0.14 % (72)

All the prison regimes applicable to Morocco are closed. They vary according to the prisoner classification.
The classification criteria are particularly the risk of repeat offence, the offence committed, the prisoner’s civil status, and their age. They are subjected to an individual evaluation grid. The modes of access to activities, work, visits, and walks depend on this classification.
The prison regimes are the following:

• A: high security regime, solitary confinement, restricted movement within the establishment

• B: ordinary closed regime

• C: partially closed regime, best opportunities to access activities and work

The different categories of correctional facilities are:

• Local prisons, intended for people with short-term sentences, defendants and persons under duress ¹. There are 65 in total. They are required to guarantee, “depending on their capacities”, professional training to prisoners.
• Central prisons, reserved for people with long-term sentences. There is a total of two of them: Moul El Bergui and Kenitra. These are high security establishments.
• Agricultural prisons, normally intended for prisoners at the end of their sentence. There are six in total. These establishments are dedicated to the professional training of prisoners in the agricultural field and to prepare them for their release.
• Educational reform centres, reserved for minors and young adults (up until 20 years old). There are three in total.

Penitentiary law provides that sentenced people are divided into prisons according to their gender, family residence, age, criminal circumstances, background, physical and mental state of health, mental aptitudes, personality, and detention regime. (Prison Law, article 29.
The incarcerated population is concentrated in the local and central prisons.

The size of the facilities varies in a significant manner. Ain Sebaa 1’s local prison (4,500 places) is the largest. Its current population, as of 31 December 2018, is 7,137 prisoners. The smallest prison is the Reform and Rehabilitation Centre in Benslimane (249 places). Its current population is 220 young prisoners, as of the same date.

The facilities [^map] and the majority of the incarcerated population [^pop] is concentrated in the north-west of the country (Casablanca-Settat, Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, and Fès-Meknès). [^map]: See Penitentiary map“, 2019, p. 30 (in Arabic).
[^pop]: General Delegation for Prison Administration and Rehabilitation, “2018 Activities Report”, 2019, p. 144 (in Arabic).

Prison guards must follow initial training, followed by a competitive entrance exam. They must have their high school qualifications.
The training includes, in chronological order:

• two months of training at the National Centre of Executive Training (CNFC)
• one month, in-prison internship
• three months of training at the CNFC.

Training is the same for all prison staff. Position choices are made after the training. Only prison doctors receive specialised initial training.

Staff do not benefit from any benefits other than their salary. This is a contentious issue for the majority of staff. The Director of DGAPR highlights the lack of resources from their institution and staff exhaustion.

Prison staff are organised into two bodies:

• surveillance and security: guards, prison wardens and directors
• rehabilitation: teachers, social assistants, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and surgical dentists