‘I sleep with all my clothes on to protect my privacy’: a glimpse into life inside a child prison in France
Photographer Alexandre Bagdassarian spent eight months following the daily lives of children in a prison system criticised for the long time spent in cells
TL;DR
- Juvenile detention cells are described as both impersonal and intimate, with minimal furnishings.
- Children may spend up to 23 hours a day in their cells due to staff shortages, a practice criticized by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
- The daily one-hour yard time is mandatory but offers little respite, as cells overlook the yard, leading to constant observation.
- Inmates report feelings of intellectual decline, forgetfulness, and a distorted sense of time due to confinement.
- Disciplinary units feature bare cells and tiny yards, with windows that cannot be opened, and can lead to de facto isolation.
- Confinement in disciplinary units can last up to seven days and is described as a place from which one cannot emerge 'normal'.
- Drug trafficking is a common reason for the minors' incarceration.
- Unaccompanied migrant children seek freedom and the opportunity to play football in Europe.
- The prison system faces issues with suicide attempts and completed suicides, some occurring shortly after release.
- The article highlights the severe psychological distress experienced by both the children and the staff dealing with these situations.