Prior to World War II, imprisonment was rarely used in Poland. This era of relative tolerance was followed by the brutal period of German occupation, and the Soviets in essence continued much the same tradition when they took over in 1945. While there was some variation in incarceration rates from year to year, the mean rate of incarceration from 1945 to 1988 was 275 per 100,000, giving Poland one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world during that time. With the demise of the communist regime, there was a rebirth of interest in penology, and the reform of the prison system has become a major public policy issue. Incarceration rates remain high, but very positive and progressive reform efforts are underway. The traditional Polish prison atmosphere of tension and ill-will has been replaced with mutual respect between correctional officers and prisoners. Prisoners are permitted to paint and decorate their cells and to generally make themselves comfortable. Work as part of the correctional plan has been coupled with educational and cultural endeavors in an effort to achieve the primary goal of rehabilitation. Table, notes, references