Prisons could run out of space if courts continue sentencing at current rate

If the current rate of prison sentencing continues, prisons will run out of space by Aug. 7, said Poland's chief prison warden general Wlodzimierz Markiewicz. The maximum capacity of the Polish prison system is 63,855 inmates. There are currently 62,122 spread over 60 facilities. Poland is one of European leaders for prisoners, with 150 inmates per 100,000 residents. In Germany the figure is around 60. Markiewicz said the problem is Polish courts do not issue alternative sentences such as probation or community service however he also did say lack of funds makes those proposals unrealistic. According to a special Justice Ministry regulation, if prisons become full, heads of courts will review cases in which imprisonment can be delayed. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 10) T.J.