EN
In light of the "rehabilitation crisis," Polish society expresses the need to introduce more severe penalties. The results of surveys and public opinion pools clearly show that the Poles demand heavier sanctions. Does a potential threat of punishment provide an effective deterrent against committing crimes? This paper discusses the problem of rational thinking of property criminals. The study conducted among prisoners allows us to argue that the perpetrator at the stage of decision making is not acutely aware of the possible consequences of committing a crime. The obtained results would enable us to launch a program facilitating prevention and rehabilitation, which could lead to a decrease in the rate of property crimes.