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Imprisonment does not rule a man out
"The idea is that convicts should, within a reasonable time, as soon as possible, leave prisons under the control of penitentiary authorities. This way, they will be able find jobs, start or continue their education, and thus fully rehabilitate," explains advocate Pietrzak. "We need to increase social sensitivity to the fate of those who are deprived of freedom, but not human dignity," he says.
In a newspaper interview in Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, advocate Mikołaj Pietrzak notes that living conditions in Polish prisons are worse in many ways than they are in other European countries. One of the main problems Poland has not been able to overcome is overcrowding. To resolve this problem, many prisons adapted community rooms and surgeries to new cells.
Adw. Pietrzak stresses that rehabilitation of convicts is in society’s interest. He adds that rehabilitation is not possible behind bars. Convicts in other countries can profit from probation earlier than in Poland. The rehabilitation system in Poland should be more developed and support convicts in finding work or residence upon release. Convicts on probation should remain under the supervision of custodians and should be able to benefit from their help.
Mikołaj Pietrzak also draws attention to the fact that in Poland alternative punishments are rarely used. "We need to increase the use of electronic monitoring and to make the penalty of restriction of freedom more real," he postulates. He notes that introducing tax benefits for business entities could encourage private companies to hire convicts.
"It is necessary to create legal mechanisms to improve the system of aid for prisoners who leave prisons in order to effectively restore them to life in society. I also expect the introduction of uniform standards in access to hygiene and medical care. I also count on changing attitudes and culture, as well as the practice of penitentiary courts." he postulates.
Mikołaj Pietrzak points out that it is necessary to increase social sensitivity to the fate of those who are deprived of freedom. At the end of the conversation he states, "we are not even aware of the fact that every day we move around people who were in prisons. This is the case in every society. But imprisonment does not rule a man out. "