The socialist senator of Bouches-du-Rhône Marie-Arlette Carlotti chose Thursday to come to Baumettes, in Marseille, her city. Parliamentarians can visit prisons at any time and be accompanied by journalists. That day, it is the health situation, which interests.
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The director of the establishment, Yves Feuillerat, welcomes the small group and presents the penitentiary center.
In the Baumettes prison, 910 inmates are accommodated with a capacity of 705 places, ie an average occupancy rate of 153%. Their average age is 34 years. 600 officials work on the site, including more than 400 assigned to surveillance.
No problem with these figures. It is when we approach the number of detainees and staff affected by the Covid that the figures diverge.
According to management in 2020, 39 administration officials and 12 detainees were infected with Covid-19. Since the start of the year, the coronavirus has affected 20 officers and 14 inmates.
According to an internal note that we have obtained, since the start of the epidemic, it is rather 84 staff who have been positive for Covid-19. 64 are healed; and 48 inmates were ill. 34 are healed.
According to the director “the situation is constantly evolving”. Several sources of contamination were thus detected, in particular at the management, the registry and the visiting rooms.
In the corridors of the Baumettes prison in Marseille, the Covid is also circulating.
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© Jean-François GIORGETTI / FTV
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Isolated contact and positive cases For inmates with contact cases or those affected by illness, a special organization has been set up.
Contact cases are grouped together, positive ones placed in isolation and confined for ten days in dedicated cells. These cells are located in the new arrivals district, just above the medical sector.
They are equipped with bunk beds and have a surface area of 12 m2. During walks, contaminated inmates are not mixed with others.
Yves Feuillerat specifies that there were no detainees seriously affected by the Covid. According to Myriam Garnier, the head of detention, “We have sometimes blocked two floors and systematically screened each inmate, and each played the game without difficulty.”
“If one of them tests positive, he is placed in isolation, I call the family who generally understand the situation… this year the virus is circulating very quickly!”
The visiting rooms halved
Vaccinations have started for inmates over 65 and those with co-morbidities. 36 received an injection. On the other hand, the administration has for the moment, nothing planned for the personnel.
The number of family visiting rooms has been halved. 80 detainees can meet their relatives. Excluding the health crisis, it is double. The boxes have been fitted out. A plexiglass framed by two boards ensures the separation.
Covid. In the visiting rooms of the Baumettes prison, a plexiglass framed by two boards ensures the separation.
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© Jean-François GIORGETTI / FTV
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The visit lasted two hours. Senator Marie-Arlette Carlotti seemed satisfied with the sanitary measures taken to protect staff and detainees and by the explanations provided by the director.
A very smooth visit for Cyril Huet Lambing. According to the deputy national secretary of the Prison Supervisors Union, the management of Baumettes does not apply the instructions or circulars of the prison administration.
According to the union representative “Some supervisory staff come to work positive for Covid-19 and encourage staff to come and work knowing that they are in contact.”
The union wrote to the Regional Health Agency and to the Bouches-du-Rhône police chief, for “report dysfunctions in the application of health protection measures at Les Baumettes.”
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