The consensus has been reached regarding the necessity of a new prison in Nice to replace the current outdated, unsuitable, and overcrowded facility. The problems start when it comes to implementation, as nobody wants it.
The famous English saying “NIMBY”—not in my backyard—prevails over civic sense.
Everyone advocates for their own interests with careful explanations to justify everything. Each person believes they have every reason in the world not to welcome the facility on their land.
This will be the case tomorrow from 10 a.m. to noon in Saint Laurent du Var, where, at the invitation of its new mayor, Joseph Segura, a protest march is organized, joined by the neighboring communities of La Gaude and Saint-Jeannet.
Its purpose? To oppose the potential decision to choose the Iscles area by the APIJ (Public Agency for Justice Real Estate), which has been tasked by the Ministry of Justice to make proposals for the construction of the new penitentiary center.
We are at this stage, but for the local officials, it’s never too early to make their voices heard and put up a blockade.
The procession will head to the Prefecture, where a delegation will request to be received by Mr. Prefect, who will take note of the reasons and pass them on to the hierarchy.
End of the episode and onto the next…
Well, no, because despite new technologies, a prison on the moon is not yet on the agenda, what solution can we envisage?
Christian Estrosi, acting as the “paterfamilias” of the Metropolis, chose to endure and tackle the problem: The current prison is in Nice? The future one will be too, indicating three solutions, although unfortunately for him, two are not feasible (The lands do not belong to the municipality and are designated for other uses).
The remaining option is demolition and reconstruction on the current site. Beyond the necessity to relocate prisoners to other facilities during construction, while the logistical situation is extremely tense concerning space-to-prisoner ratio (The European Union has pinpointed a situation that doesn’t comply with community standards).
There is also another significant problem: The residents of the neighborhood, or at least a large majority, who no longer want a prison in the middle of an area adjacent to the city center.
Massive construction work only to end up with another prison is undoubtedly the straw that broke the camel’s back for an already overflowing cup.
The association La Clé des Champs is mobilized, and a petition has been signed by more than 600 people.
As it stands… It’s not yet happening!
