NCJ Number
100523
Date Published
1985
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This summary reviews the penal court and function of the 'judge of sentence application' in Portugal, Poland, and West Germany, the surveillance section of the Italian district courts of appeals, and the proposal in France for a sentence review board.
Abstract
In May 1944, Portugal introduced the prison court to Europe. The court has authority to enforce or modify security sentences already given and to grant or revoke parole. Poland's Code for Sentence Implementation introduced the penal court to that country in 1969. The essential activity of these courts is in the area of parole. The inmate, the defense attorney, and the prison administrator can bring a request before the court. The court that awarded parole has authority over revocation. The Federal Republic of Germany provides for special judicial jurisdiction over disputes between inmates and the penal administration. The tribunal acts to enforce applicable human rights. A 1975 Italian law provides for each district court to have a surveillance section which collectively decides matters of conditional release, admission to parole, and sentence reduction. France is considering the establishment of a penal court to have jurisdiction in parole matters.