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Juvenile Detention Center in Marseilles Shuttered Amid Shocking Conditions
29 Aug
Summary
- Juvenile detention center in Marseilles closed for refurbishment
- Inspectors found deplorable conditions, including graffiti-covered walls and lack of basic amenities
- Staffing shortages led to excessive confinement and lack of schooling for inmates
In a concerning development, the French Ministry of Justice has announced the closure of part of the La Valentine juvenile detention center in Marseilles. This decision comes in response to a scathing report submitted by the Controller General of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL) on July 31st, which exposed a litany of issues at the facility.
According to the report, a team of inspectors from the CGLPL visited the center between July 7th and 11th and found a disturbing state of affairs. The walls of the cells were covered in graffiti, which the inspectors suspected was written using excrement or blood. The private bathrooms lacked doors, and the mattresses were in poor condition, with some inmates only provided with a piece of foam without any protective cover or sheet.
Staffing shortages at the center have also led to major problems, with youths often locked up for 23 hours a day due to the lack of guards or teachers. Inmates who wanted to use the telephone landlines were forced to pay prohibitive rates, and they were not allowed to put curtains on the cell windows to reduce the effects of the heat, which can reach 30 degrees Celsius in Marseilles.
In response to these alarming findings, the Ministry of Justice has ordered the closure of one to two units of the prison in September for a gradual refurbishment of the cells. Dominique Simonnot, a CGLPL inspector, described this as a "very rare recommendation," but she said there was no other option than to close the facility in order to reopen it in better conditions.
The report also highlighted the "catastrophic consequences of the absence of prison and educational staff," with the high rate of absenteeism leading to over-confinement and a lack of schooling for the young inmates. Simonnot emphasized that the authorities must provide the staff with the necessary means to meet the needs of the detained minors.
The closure of the La Valentine juvenile detention center is a significant step in addressing the dire conditions that have been uncovered. It remains to be seen whether the upcoming refurbishments and reforms will succeed in creating a more humane and rehabilitative environment for the young offenders in Marseilles.
