NCJ Number
198185
Date Published
2000
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This chapter addresses recent changes in Poland’s laws and regulations in the field of economic crime.
Abstract
This chapter focuses on changes in the past decade in Poland’s laws and regulations concerning economic crime, as a result of a transition to a market-led economy. Arguing that the areas of Poland’s economy which are at the greatest risk of criminal activity are those in which regulations have fallen behind the ingenuity of criminals, the authors begin this chapter by providing a legal framework for economic crime. After discussing securities crime, tax evasion, and smuggling, this chapter discusses the criminal offenses of monetary mismanagement, money laundering, economic fraud, and offenses against creditors. Turning to a discussion of current trends in economic crime in Poland, the authors report that the Polish Ministry of Justice Statistics demonstrate an overall rise in the number of economic crime cases handled in the criminal courts from January 1995 to June 1996. Arguing that it is too soon to assess the effectiveness of changes in economic criminal law introduced by the enactment of the Penal Code of 1997, the authors asserts that legislators need to observe changes in business practices in order to anticipate possible new forms of economic crime in order to stay ahead of criminals in Poland and elsewhere.