Until recently, Poland was one of the many Communist countries in which human rights were often violated, including the times of arrest and pretrial detention. The adoption of new political principles, the election of a parliament, and the formation of a non-communist cabinet created the conditions for a new criminal policy based on European standards. Preventive arrest has been redefined to reduce arbitrary police practices, although abuses still occur. The use of lengthy periods of pretrial detention has declined sharply since 1989, but recently the number of persons detained and awaiting trial has increased. Although the situation for detainees has improved since 1989, further changes are needed, especially the passage of a new Constitution and penal codes. Tables, footnotes, and appended tables