The Petty Offenses Law — A collection of administrative delicts or an extension of the norms of criminal law?

Abstract

The article assesses the Petty Offenses Law from a historical perspective. It highlights the fundamental issues regarding the placement of provisions on petty offenses within the framework of the first Polish codification of criminal law in 1932. It presents contentious scientific concepts related to this matter formulated by distinguished theorists of criminal law. In the subsequent part, the article identifies current problems concerning the Petty Offenses Law, such as the complete codification of the Petty Offenses Law, the justification for maintaining halved prohibited acts, the adjudication by peace judges, and the issue of administrative delicts replacing petty offenses. The author emphasizes that key issues remain unresolved, despite 90 years having passed since the adoption of polish Petty Offenses Law.