Life in prison: rules to be followed by prisoners

Verified 20 February 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Rules and regulations The rules of life of the prison are laid down in the regulations of each prison. If you do not comply with them, you may be subject to disciplinary sanctions for your misconduct. You have the opportunity to challenge the penalty imposed on you by contacting the Interregional Director of Prison Services.

During your incarceration, arriving inmate guide it's given to you. Rules and regulations It contains all the general rules laid down by the

As soon as you arrive in prison, you must follow various rules, including:

  • Obey instructions from prison staff
  • Do not commit of infringement (consumption of drugs, violence, theft, etc.)
  • Respect prison staff and other inmates
  • Respect the functioning of the penitentiary
  • Follow the times set by the prison guards (for example, you cannot leave your cell at night)
  • Wear appropriate and decent clothing when outside your cell
  • Smoking only in your cell or in the walks
  • Respect the furniture available in your cell. You can set up your cell as you wish, but you must not degrade the material available to you
  • Maintain items loaned by the prison administration (e.g. books, newspapers)
  • Not holding dangerous objects that facilitate suicide, assault, or escape
  • Justifying possession of drugs with a prescription
  • Not drinking alcohol
  • Do not hold cash, checkbooks or credit cards.

Please note

Rules and regulations If you don't speak French, the following text can be translated into your language.

If you do not comply with the prison rules, the prison supervisor present at the incident (or whoever is informed) reports to the prison officials.

Then, an investigation into the facts and your personality is carried out. That investigation shall be reported.

Afterwards, the head of the penitentiary can decide to prosecute you.

Disciplinary procedures applicable to detainees major different from that of the inmates miners.

FYI  

If you have committed a infringement, you can also be sued by criminal courts.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Major

The head of the penitentiary may decide to initiate disciplinary proceedings against you.

If you have committed a minor error (e.g. not respecting the timetable), he can offer you an alternative to disciplinary proceedings.

Disciplinary proceedings
Procedure

When the head of the penitentiary institution considers that your misconduct warrants disciplinary proceedings, he or she will summon you before a disciplinary commission.

The notice shall specify:

  • The date and time at which you must appear before the Disciplinary Committee
  • The facts alleged against you and the penalties incurred
  • The time during which you can prepare your defense (at least 24 hours before the date of the summons)
  • The possibility of having a lawyer of your choice or official clerk
  • The ability for you and your lawyer to access the records (for example, audio or visual recordings).

Before making its decision, the Disciplinary Board listens to your comments (and, if you wish, to your lawyer's comments).

You can also bring in witnesses.

FYI  

If you don't speak French, you have the right to an interpreter.

Applicable sanctions

The Disciplinary Committee may impose one of the following sanctions:

  • Warning
  • Prohibition on receiving money from outside during a maximum period of 2 months
  • Deprivation of making purchases in the canteen during a maximum period of 2 months. This prohibition may not apply to hygiene products, mail-order kits and tobacco.
  • Deprivation of a cultural, sports or leisure activity for a maximum period of one month
  • Performing cleaning, refurbishing or maintenance of prison cells or premises for a maximum of 40 hours. This penalty can only be imposed if you have previously consented to it.
  • Confinement in an ordinary single cell with deprivation of any equipment purchased or rented through the administration (e.g. television)
  • Placement in disciplinary cells (or mitard).

The penalty you may be subject to depends on the seriousness of the act you have committed.

Alternative measure

If you acknowledge the facts of which you are accused, the head of the penitentiary proposes one of the following measures:

  • Rule Reminder
  • Writing an apology letter (for example, to your fellow inmate)
  • Writing a letter about your misconduct and the damage that she caused
  • Meeting, in the presence of a third party, with the person your behavior has affected. For that to happen, that person must have given his consent
  • Awareness-raising related to your misconduct (e.g. awareness-raising about alcohol-related harms)
  • Deprivation of the ability to purchase other than hygiene products, correspondence kits and tobacco during a maximum period of 8 days
  • Deprivation of one or more cultural, sports or leisure activities during a maximum period of 8 days
  • Cleaning, restoration or maintenance of prison cells or premises for a period not exceeding 10 hours.

If you agreeHowever, the head of the penitentiary will give you a letter stating that you have consented to the measure proposed to you.

This letter also mentions the facts you are accused of and the length of time for which you must carry out the measure.

FYI  

You have 48 hours to withdraw your consent.

If you do not perform all or part of the measure, you may be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Minor

When the head of the penitentiary institution considers that your misconduct warrants disciplinary proceedings, he or she will summon you before a disciplinary commission.

The notice shall specify:

  • The date and time at which you must appear before the Disciplinary Committee
  • The facts alleged against you and the penalties incurred
  • The time during which you can prepare your defense (at least 24 hours before the date of the summons)
  • The possibility of having a lawyer of your choice or official clerk
  • The ability for you and your lawyer to access the records (for example, audio or visual recordings).

Before making its decision, the Disciplinary Board listens to your comments (and if you wish, to your lawyer's comments).

You can also bring in witnesses.

If you don't speak French, you have the right to an interpreter.

The disciplinary sanctions you may face depend on your age.

Under 16

If you have committed disciplinary misconduct, the Disciplinary Board may impose one of the following penalties:

  • Warning
  • Inability to make canteen orders during Maximum 15 days
  • Unable to watch TV for Maximum 15 days
  • Unable to use any of your devices (for example, your radio) for Maximum 15 days
  • Inability to do a cultural or sporting activity during Maximum 1 month
  • Obligation to perform work in the prison to repair the mistake that was made.
Between 16 and 18 years old

If you have committed disciplinary misconduct, the Disciplinary Board may subject you to one of the following penalties:

  • Warning
  • Inability to make canteen orders during Maximum 15 days
  • Unable to watch TV for Maximum 15 days
  • Unable to use any of your devices (for example, your radio) for Maximum 15 days
  • Inability to do a cultural or sporting activity during Maximum 1 month
  • Obligation to perform work in the prison to repair the mistake that was made
  • Cell Output Prohibition During Maximum 7 days except for walks, for education or training
  • Placement in a disciplinary cell
  • Prohibited from attending the course you are enrolled in Maximum 3 days.

If you do not agree with the disciplinary commission’s sanction, you can challenge it by making a compulsory prior administrative appeal (Rapo).

Your recourse, accompanied by the contested decisionshall be forwarded to the interregional director of the penitentiary services.

You have 15 days after notification of this decision.

Please note

You can call on a lawyer to help you in your steps (example: drafting and filing of the appeal).

If you don't have the resources to pay this professional, you can eventually make a application for legal aid.

The Interregional Director of Prison Services has one month to reply. Failure to reply within that period means that your action is dismissed.

In this case, you can challenge the Disciplinary Board's decision before the administrative tribunal.

Who shall I contact

On the same subject

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region