NCJ Number
147345
Journal
Archives of Criminology Dated: (1993) Pages: 191-232
Date Published
1993
Length
42 pages
Annotation
The revisions of the juvenile code in Poland that took effect in May 1983 changed the system that had been in effect for more than 50 years and represented a compromise that defined the resonsibility of juveniles in relation to age, the youth's understanding of the offense, and the type of measures applied.
Abstract
With respect to undiscerning juvenile perpetrators who are under age 13 when they commit prohibited acts, the law now permits only educational measures. These include admonition; supervision by the parents, former guardians, or a probation officer; and placement in an educational institution. Juveniles aged 13-17 who discerned the meaning of their act are to be placed in a correctional institution or, if required by circumstances, the youth's personality, or living conditions, in an educational institution. Thus, the legislation concerning juveniles remains part of the system of penal law despite the special features it started to acquire. In addition, an issue that has not yet been resolved is how to define the lowest age limit; this would be the age limit below which the provisions of the penal law never apply, even indirectly. Footnotes