NCJ Number
198186
Date Published
2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Focusing on the issue of corruption in Poland, this chapter describes various corruption issues including bribery and protection in return for payment.
Abstract
After arguing that the phenomenon of corruption borders several different areas including legal, criminal, sociological, and economic, this author maintains that, in Poland, political changes initiated by the events of 1989 stimulated a wide variety of corrupt actions and arrangements. Citing the broadening of civic liberties and property rights, the emergence of a free market, a surge in private trade, loopholes in the laws, and a tolerance of omissions in official reports, this paper argues that changing conditions facilitated corruption during a period of social and political transformation in Poland. According to the author, legal measures designed to combat the spread of corruption in Poland only began to be seriously undertaken in 1991 with the amendment of Penal Treasury and Economic Crime laws. Focusing on the extent of corruption, this paper reports that from the time period of 1992 to 1998, the number of offenses related to bribery of public officials in Poland rose by 54 percent. After citing the health service industry, insurance sector, banks, state enterprises, treasury controls, customs, and local authorities as areas of public activity at the greatest risk of corruption, the author argues that most Poles demonstrate tolerance towards corruption, readily accepting “soft” forms of corruption as justifiable.