Kara pracy poprawczej w orzecznictwie karno-administracyjnym Polski Ludowej

Abstract

The penalty of corrective labor was introduced into Polish system of jurisdiction in petty offences cases in 1951 and it replaced the penalty of arrest. The essence of this penalty consisted in the duty to work in appointed place and part of salary was confiscated. The idea was that this penalty will have educational influence on the sentenced person and it will bring him up to live in the socialist society. However, the practice was different. In fact the state was only confiscating a part of salary, so this punishment was rather a kind of a fine in instalments. The penalty was inefficient especially in hooligan nature cases, and it was gradually replaced by the penalty of arrest. In December 1958 the correctional labor penalty was abolished and the boards judging petty offences (not courts) were empowered to decree the punishment of arrest. It was a retreat from the earlier concepts of the educational role of this jurisdiction. The modified version of this penalty exists till now in the petty offences’ code from 1971. It is known as „penalty of restricted liberty”. This penalty can be replaced now by penalty either of arrest or fine.