A new form of life imprisonment:
Comments in the context of amendments to the Penal Code Cover Image

Nowa forma kary dożywotniego pozbawienia wolności. Uwagi w kontekście zmian do kodeksu karnego
A new form of life imprisonment: Comments in the context of amendments to the Penal Code

Author(s): Aleksandra Polak-Kruszyk
Subject(s): Criminal Law, Penal Policy
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego
Keywords: life sentence; life imprisonment; penalty of deprivation of liberty; lifers; life sentence without parole; life prisoners; long-term punishment;

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the latest amendment to the Polish Criminal Code regulations concerning the life sentence penalty in Poland. So far, life prisoners have had a possibility of parole after serving 25 years of their sentence (or any longer time specified by the court). The legislation has recently established a new form of that penalty which is called an absolute life sentence (without the possibility of parole at all). In certain circumstances, specified in new paragraphs of article 77 (§ 3 and 4), the judge may impose that penalty. What is more, according to the amendment, the minimum period before inmates serving a life sentence can be considered for parole was lengthened from 25 to 30 years. The supervision of released life prisoners was also extended to cover the rest of their lives.

  • Issue Year: 2023
  • Issue No: 66
  • Page Range: 41-57
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Polish