> The most generous interpretation is that the French penal system is more humane than the US That is indeed generous. French prisons are notoriously awful. A

> The most generous interpretation is that the French penal system is more humane than the US That is indeed generous. French prisons are notoriously awful. A bit of a catalogue of official condemnations is available at the Wikipedia page[1], but more telling are the many, many anecdotes of people who have done time in them. Of course nasty prisons doesn't mean that the administration of the courts isn't impeccable, and I am hardly an expert, but I rather doubt it. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_conditions_in_France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_conditions_in_France