On Wednesday, the Polish Senate passed an amendment to the Prison Service Act, introducing the possibility of employing civilian workers in selected management positions within the formation. The changes aim to increase flexibility and enable the employment of specialists in fields such as finance, investment, and IT within the Prison Service (SW) structures.
Until now, management positions within the Prison Service, apart from the role of the general director, were reserved exclusively for officers. The amendment introduces the possibility for civilian specialists to hold positions such as deputies of the general director of the Central Prison Service Administration, as well as deputies of district directors, penal institutions, and detention centers. However, key roles such as the director of the correctional facility, the director of the investigative detention center, or the district director will remain available exclusively to SW officers.
New Opportunities and Challenges
Maria Ejchart, the Minister overseeing the prison system, emphasized the importance of this change. She said, “The Prison Service needs flexibility and specialists who will be able to implement modern solutions in management, finance, or technology. The amendment to the Act is a step towards openness to civilian specialists who will bring new quality to managing the Prison Service.”
The Prison Service not only carries out its primary task of enforcing imprisonment sentences but also conducts a number of organizational and technical activities. These include investing in new penitentiary units, implementing IT technologies such as the Central Database of Detained Persons or the Electronic Surveillance System, and organizing tenders such as for energy or fuel supply. Hiring civilian specialists is expected to help professionalize these areas.
Flexibility in Staff Selection
The new regulations give superiors the option to choose between employing a SW officer or a civilian worker in positions that do not require education and experience in SW operational activities. Requirements for managerial positions, both civilian and officer, will be defined in the executive regulations of the Act.
Next Legislative Steps
The amendment to the Act will now go to the President for signature. If approved, the new regulations will come into force, enabling the employment of civilian specialists in certain managerial positions in the Prison Service. This decision aims to strengthen the effectiveness of management and open the way for the implementation of modern solutions in this key institution.
Source: https://ceo.com.pl/senat-uchwalil-nowelizacje-ustawy-o-sluzbie-wieziennej-96067
