NCJ Number
139071
Journal
EuroCriminology Volume: 1 Dated: (1987) Pages: 113-129
Date Published
1987
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Juvenile delinquency prevention in Poland is treated as a very specific branch of criminality on a general social scale.
Abstract
The Act of 26 October 1982 introduced fundamental changes in the treatment of minors in Poland. Provisions include preventing and eliminating demoralization in persons up to 18 years of age, procedures for cases involving punishable acts committed by persons between 13 and 17 years, and educational or correctional treatment up to 21 years of age. According to court statistics of Poland's Ministry of Justice, the number of juvenile convictions decreased during 1956 and 1957, systematically increased until 1967, and then decreased in subsequent years. The structure of juvenile delinquency, however, did not change, with property offenses prevailing. Boys committed far more offenses than girls, and juveniles acted together with partners in about 73 percent of all cases during the 1980- 1983 period. In 1983, 12 percent of convicted juveniles did not attend school or work. Factors associated with juvenile delinquency in Poland include family disintegration and alcoholism. With respect to juvenile delinquency prevention, family courts in Poland can apply educational, correctional, medical, and criminal measures, in accordance with the Act of 26 October 1982. Probation officers play a very specific role in the Polish system for treating minors. 27 footnotes and 2 tables