Police and judicial scandal in France: millions of unfinished files

A massive scandal has erupted in France’s police and judicial systems after the murder of an 11-year-old girl named Lyhanna. The case has exposed deep systemic failures, revealing millions of unresolved files involving allegations of sexual abuse against minors. On June 4, the body of Lyhanna was found in Puycasquier, in southwestern France, just days after she had been abducted. The suspect, Jérôme Barella, was already in custody for questioning when investigators discovered he was not a stranger to the justice system, his name appeared in multiple cases involving sexual offenses against children, including a rape charge with medical reports and other accusations. Despite these records, none of the cases had been properly processed, leaving Barella free to commit further crimes. The failure of law enforcement led to public outrage, with demonstrators taking to the streets of Paris in early June. The situation escalated into a national crisis, prompting Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin to order an immediate internal investigation. The findings were alarming: over 85,047 criminal complaints related to sexual violence against minors remained unprocessed within the police and gendarmerie departments. Overall, it is estimated that three million files have never been forwarded to judicial authorities. These documents, referred to by Darmanin as “phantom dossiers,” highlight a shocking level of negligence and bureaucratic breakdown. Darmanin shared his findings with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez through a 12-page letter, which was reportedly sent to Le Monde. According to court circles, the minister compiled data from 37 prosecutors' offices, detailing how many files had gone unattended or were not even properly recorded at local police stations and gendarmerie posts. In Nîmes alone, 1,275 such files were uncovered, while in Caen, 905 were identified. In Bourges, at least 15 files were simply lost. In Le Mans, six overwhelmed officers are responsible for handling approximately 4,000 cases, often without proper child protection measures, known as “Mélanie” protocols, being applied. The report described widespread frustration among investigators, citing total demoralization and a sense of resignation. Darmanin outlined several contributing factors, including chronic personnel shortages, lack of traceability, unclear priorities, incomplete investigations, insufficient professional training, even within specialized units. He also highlighted the outdated software used by the police, which continues to be updated despite its high cost. This technological lag results in complaints remaining inactive, suspects going unpursued, and procedures being delayed or abandoned altogether. The fallout has sparked a bitter conflict between Darmanin and Nuñez. While Nuñez expressed disappointment that these issues were made public rather than addressed internally, Darmanin appears to have shifted blame onto another ministry. This strategy backfired quickly, as it became evident that Darmanin himself was complicit in the failures. The dispute underscores the broader dysfunction within the French administrative structure, where accountability is elusive and institutional inertia prevails. As the scandal unfolds, the focus remains on the systemic flaws that allowed a child's death to occur under such circumstances. With three million unresolved files and ongoing concerns over child protection mechanisms, the call for reform grows louder. The government faces mounting pressure to address the root causes of this crisis, ensuring that future cases do not end in tragedy due to bureaucratic neglect. The fate of Lyhanna serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for change.