Zakłady karne dla kobiet w polskim systemie penitencjarnym
Women's prisons in the Polish penitentiary system

Summary/Abstract: The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the functioning of women's prisons in the Polish penitentiary system. Although women constitute only approximately 5.3% of the prison population in Poland (data from January 2025), their specific situation requires separate legal regulations and adapted institutional solutions. The study covers the historical evolution of women's imprisonment - from medieval forms of isolation characterized by severity, through Western European initiatives of the 16th-18th centuries, to contemporary regulations based on the Executive Penal Code of 1997. The author discusses the theoretical foundations of female criminality, presenting biological, psychological, sociological, and economic concepts. Particular attention is devoted to the organization of the contemporary penitentiary system, including four prisons designated exclusively for women (Krzywaniec, Grudziądz, Chmielów, Lubliniec) and women's sections operating within male facilities. The article analyzes the process of women's rehabilitation, emphasizing their greater sensitivity to isolation and different psychosocial needs. The controversial issue of motherhood in penitentiary conditions and the functioning of mother-and-child homes are also discussed. Challenges related to women's social readaptation after leaving prison are highlighted, including social stigmatization and difficulties in finding employment. The author concludes that effective rehabilitation of women requires continuous improvement of systemic solutions, development of specialized therapeutic programs, and strengthening of the post-penitentiary assistance system adapted to the specific needs of this group of inmates.

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