France: the Estates General of Justice deliver their conclusions

The Estates General of Justice were spread over 5 months, bringing together actors from the sector and citizens.

(illustrative image) AP - Jean-Francois Badias

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

How to renew the link between justice and French citizens?

This is the delicate question to which the Estates General of Justice were called upon to answer.

An extensive consultation with both sector players and citizens, which was spread over 5 months.

Its president Jean-Marc Sauvé, a respected personality and honorary vice-president of the Council of State, must submit his conclusions this Friday to the head of state.

This report should serve as a roadmap for an in-depth reform of the judicial institution.

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The Elysée and the Chancellery first emphasize the extent of the consultation work: 50,000 people contributed, 12,000 magistrates and justice personnel, thousands of citizens including nearly 8,700 prisoners.

To sort through this million proposals, Jean-Marc Sauvé surrounded himself with 11 sages: the highest representatives of the judiciary, the prosecution and lawyers, but also the presidents of the law commission of the two chambers. 

First, they plead for a massive reinforcement of the workforce with the recruitment of 1,500 magistrates in 5 years when Emmanuel Macron in his presidential program had committed to only 1,000 job creations.

They also insist on the need to rethink the hearings of immediate appearance, designed to quickly try minor cases.

The reality is chain judgments "

 ", believes the committee.

Finally, to solve the systemic problem of prison overcrowding which is why France is regularly condemned, the report judges that the construction of new prison places can no longer be the only answer.

It will also be necessary to explore the alternatives to the sole deprivation of liberty and think about integration, prevention of recidivism and not just punishment.

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