‘I sleep with all my clothes on to protect my privacy’: a glimpse into life inside a child prison in France
Photographer Alexandre Bagdassarian spent eight months following the daily lives of children in a prison system criticised for the long time spent in cells
The cells of the children were difficult places for me to photograph because they are impersonal and intimate at the same time. Once inside, you quickly find yourself going in circles, with nowhere to go. Your gaze settles on the very few elements that make up the space: a window, cell bars, a rudimentary bed, a plank serving as a desk, and sometimes a book or a few drawings.
Sometimes, due to staff shortages, a young person may spend as much as 23 hours a day in their cell. This and the low levels of access to educational and sports activities have been criticised by Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture.
The cell windows directly overlook the prison yard, a mandatory one-hour stop each day
