Former Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, appointed Keeper of the Seals on Monday, announced Thursday, December 26, a series of proposals on the set of TF1, including the extension of the period of police custody to seventy-two hours “in cases of aggravated sexual violence and feminicide. The new Minister of Justice also declared himself in favor of a “clean-up operation in prisons”, in order to “clean up” penitentiary establishments. We take stock of the measures announced.
Fight against sexual violence
Asked about the Gisèle Pelicot affair and the Mazan rape trial, the Minister of Justice responded that he intended to propose that the custody of suspects be extended from forty-eight hours to seventy-two hours “in cases of aggravated sexual violence and feminicide. “It makes it possible to protect the woman who has been threatened, violated, attacked and to make technical and scientific police findings, and it makes it possible to question the person at greater length,” detailed Gérald Darmanin.
Securing prisons
The Minister of Justice also declared himself in favor of a “clean operation in the prisons”, in order to “clean up” the penitentiary establishments. “Today there are prisoners who have cell phones and who continue their trafficking, manage their deal point, order assassinations from prison, and this is obviously unacceptable,” declared Gérald Darmanin, adding that he had to be “firmer, more intense” and ban cell phones in prison.
In 2023 alone, 53,000 devices and accessories were seized, according to the prison administration. Like his predecessors Eric Dupond-Moretti and Didier Migaud, the Minister of Justice also wanted the generalization of telephone jammers in all prison establishments.
“Smaller” remand centers for “efficient” execution of sentences
Finally, Gérald Darmanin explained that he wanted the creation of “smaller penitentiary establishments” to place petty crime there and carry out sentences more effectively. “The problem with Justice is its slowness,” said the Minister of Justice, referring to decisions handed down “one, two, even three years after the facts”, and sentences carried out “one, two, even three years later the pronouncement of sentences.
He insisted on the need to carry out sentences “very quickly” for reasons of “pedagogy” and to prevent repeat offenses. To do this, “we can think about detention facilities on a more human scale for people who are going to spend a few months there, and so that they are not mixed with people imprisoned for more serious crimes.” Gérald Darmanin said he intended to rely on local elected officials for the creation of these new remand centers.