Immigrants in the French System of Criminal Justice

The place of immigrants in the French system of criminal justice can only be understood in the context of the history of post‐war France. Since 1956, developments in the prison population and the flux of immigration have been dominated by the 'Algerian probleme. After the Evian agreements were signed in 1962 there was a period of ‘free’ and massive, immigration until 1974. Since then the volume of legislation rivals and probably surpasses the British experience. Together they are the formal expression of the near illegality of being foreign. The day‐to‐day reality of this tenuous citizenship status is documented in the second half ofthe paper. Many of the police in the 1960s also belonged to the Service d' Action Civique, a Gaullisl strong‐arm association; and, since 1974, an increasing proportion of immigrants are being imprisoned. Second generation immigrants also suffer discrimination wherever there is discretion. Overall, the French tradition of being the home of political refugees looks very tarn ished

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