Non-Custodial Sanctions and Measures in an International Perspective

Although, for years, there has been an ongoing international debate regarding the functionality and effectiveness of imprisonment, it is estimated that there are more than 11.5 million people in prison worldwide, meaning that there are more people in prison than ever before. Around a third of the global prison population are people in pre-trial detention. As a result, overcrowding remains the major problem of the prison system. Therefore, the international community has been encouraging states to seeking alternatives to imprisonment and using non-custodial penalties and measures. This paper aims at presenting international instruments devoted to the problem of penalties and measures alternative to imprisonment, as well as at discussing – from a comparative perspective – non-custodial sanctions in the Member States of the European Union, with particular consideration given to Poland.