SEXUAL OFFENCES IN POLAND IN A STATISTICAL PERSPECTIVE – SELECTED ISSUES

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18372/2307-9061.63.16730

Keywords:

sexual offences in Poland, statistics on final convictions

Abstract

Purpose: to analyse selected statistical data on final convictions for sexual offences in Poland. Methods: a statistical method was used to analyse data on the number of final convictions and the types of penalties imposed. Results: convictions for sexual offences in Poland represent a small proportion of convictions for all offences in recent years. In 2018, the highest number of convictions among sexual offences concerned the offence of rape (Article 197 of the Polish Penal Code) and sexual acts with a minor under the age of 15 (Article 200 § 1 of the Polish Penal Code – the so-called offence of paedophilia). The indicated sexual offences are in most cases punished with imprisonment, while in 2018 these were mainly imprisonment penalties without conditional suspension of their execution (absolute imprisonment). These penalties in 2018 in most cases did not exceed half of the upper level of the statutory limits of the penalty, and were often adjudicated at the minimum level. Discussion: taking into account statistics on convictions for sexual offences, one may come to the conclusion that the threat of such acts is quite low in Poland. However, it should be remembered that sexual crime is stigmatized by a very large so-called ‘dark number’ (comitted crimes that are not covered by crime statistics because they are not been disclosed by law enforcement authorities). The majority of convictions concern the most reprehensible sexual offences (rape, paedophilia). It is worth noting that Polish courts are quite lenient towards perpetrators of the indicated crimes.

Author Biography

Piotr Poniatowski, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin

Doctor of Law, Professor of the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Administration

References

Warylewski J., (in) System Prawa Karnego, vol. 10, Przestępstwa przeciwko dobrom indywidualnym, J. Warylewski (ed.), Warszawa 2016.

Consolidated text Journal of Laws of 2021, item 2345, as amended. URL: https://isap. sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU19970880553/U/D19970553Lj.pdf, hereinafter: PC.

However J. Warylewski, (in) System…, p. 628, points out that sexual offences may be distinguished according to two criteria: the legal-dogmatic one (the will of the legislator expressed in the systematics of the penal law is decisive here) and the criminological one (the motivation of the perpetrator who aims at arousing or satisfying his or her own or another person’s sexual desire is of significance here). In this paper I rely on the legal-dogmatic criterion.

Mozgawa M., (in) Kodeks karny. Komentarz aktualizowany, M. Mozgawa (ed.), LEX/el. 2021.

Filar M., (in) Kodeks karny. Komentarz, M. Filar (ed.), Warszawa 2012.

Skazania prawomocne z oskarżenia publicznego - dorośli - wg rodzajów przestępstw i wymiaru kary w l. 2008-2018. URL: https://isws.ms.gov.pl/pl/baza-statystyczna/ opracowania-wieloletnie/download,2853,40.html and Prawomocne skazania osób dorosłych w latach 1946-2018 URL: https://isws.ms.gov.pl/pl/baza-statystyczna/publikacje/download,2779,8.html.

Warylewski J. Rozmiar, dynamika i struktura przestępczości seksualnej w Polsce, w latach 1989-2017, Gdańskie Studia Prawnicze 2019, no. 2.

a. Rocznik Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 2011. URL: https://stat.gov.pl/ cps/rde/ xbcr/gus/rs_rocznik_statystyczny_rp_2011.pdf); b. Rocznik Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 2016. URL: https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/ roczniki-statystyczne/roczniki-statystyczne/ rocznik-statystyczny-rzeczypospolitej-polskiej-2016,2,16.html; c. Rocznik Statystyczny Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 2019. URL: https://stat.gov.pl/download/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5515/2/19/1/rocznik_ statystyczny_rzeczypospolitej_polskiej_2019.pdf.

Authors’ calculations based on data provided by the Police. URL: https://statystyka. policja. pl/st/kodeks-karny/przestepstwa-przeciwko-6).

Mozgawa M., Budyn-Kulik M., Praw-nokarne aspekty pedofilii. Analiza dogmatyczna i wyniki badań empirycznych, Czasopismo Prawa Karnego i Nauk Penalnych 2006, no. 2.

On the penalty of restriction of liberty in Polish penal law see more in: Nazar K., The penalty of restriction of liberty in the Polish Penal Code, Scientific Works of National Aviation University. Series: Law Journal ‘Air and Space Law’ 2021, vol. 3, no. 60.

Downloads

Published

2022-06-30

How to Cite

Poniatowski, P. (2022). SEXUAL OFFENCES IN POLAND IN A STATISTICAL PERSPECTIVE – SELECTED ISSUES. Scientific Works of National Aviation University. Series: Law Journal "Air and Space Law", 2(63), 200–210. https://doi.org/10.18372/2307-9061.63.16730

Issue

Section

Criminal Law and Criminology