The author, who heads the Lyon Regional Correctional Services Office, draws on a study of inmate morbidity conducted in 1988 and 1989 by the Lyon Association of Criminology and Social Anthropology to note that, in the majority of cases, inmates’ health is already “compromised” upon admission to prison. A marked effect of incarceration is evident, particularly on psychological well-being. The stages of adaptation to the prison environment, with a well-established progression of symptoms and subsequent pathological consequences, lead the author to reflect on the needs of this population and on the organization of care (facilities, staff) that would be best suited to meet them, with the central idea being the necessity of a cooperative network among the various stakeholders.