Criminal Justice System in Poland (for Erasmus students)

POMARAŃCZOWYCriminal Justice System in Poland

Winter Semester 2022-2023, Mondays, 15.00-16.30, room 109 (NOT 12), Krupnicza 33a;

The class of CJSP is offered to foreign ERASMUS program students (as well as DAAD and the like). Erasmus students affiliated outside of the Faculty of Law and Administration (for example: psychology, international relations, political science, sociology) are also welcome! It is not available to students of jednolite studia magisterskie.

We will be meeting in the Room 12, Krupnicza 33a (Didactic Centre of the Law Faculty, next to the Auditorium Maximum building) on Mondays, 15:00-16:30 (starting 3rd October). The teachers are: Prof. Dr. Andrzej Światłowski, Prof. Dr. Adam Górski and Dr. Paweł Czarnecki.

This course is an introductory survey of the Polish criminal justice system with a view to its social and institutional context and its structure and functioning. It is focused on criminal justice process, namely: criminal procedure, judicial independence, courts and other agencies responsible for the criminal justice. The constitutional, European and international dimensions will also be addressed.

The course provides an overview of the criminal justice system, including: procedural criminal law, proof and evidence, foundations of the substantive criminal law, police, public prosecutor office, courts and corrections. The emphasis will be placed on how the various institutions of criminal justice relate to each other and interact.

Criminal Justice System in Poland class covers the following topics:

General overview of the Criminal Justice System;
Sources of law;
International and European dimensions;
Basic principles of criminal procedure;
Substantive criminal law and sentencing – main points of interest;

CJS agencies 1: Policja, Prokuratura,
CJS agencies 2: Adwokatura, Radcy prawni;
CJS agencies 3: The Criminal Courts and the judicial independence;

Preparatory procedure;
Coercive measures;
The evidence and proof;
Trial: ordinary procedure,
Simplified and consensual procedures;
The appellate system;
Post-conviction procedures, miscarriages of justice;

Victim protection and mediation;
Juvenile law;
White collar, tax and petty delinquency;
Prison system and the corrections;
Additional topic, if chosen by the Participants

evaluation method:  written essay + multiple choice test (50%+50%);
essay deadline:   15th December 2022, 12:00;
test exam:   after the (last) classes on 23th January 2023; (exceptional early option for those absent in January – 19th December 2022);

Please note, that there will be no classes on: 1st of November (All Saints Day – public holiday in Poland), 26th of December (Xmas) and 2nd of January (the classes in January start a day later).

Please feel invited!
Department of Criminal Procedure, JU Kraków