The paper is an attempt to draw attention to some of the most important aspects of the problem of terrorist crimes, a problem that is complex both in criminological sense and in terms of the legal dogma. The starting point for the reflections in Part I of the article is a historical analysis of the origins and evolution of the dogmatic and normative perception of and approach to the concept of terrorist crime — beginning with the legislation of the interwar period, through post-war provisions and ending with the regulations of the 1969 Criminal Code. The Central question of this part is an analysis of the normative form of the terrorist crime construct under Article 115 § 20 of the Criminal Code, its legal nature as well as consequences of the application of the analysed norms. The reflection of Part II of the paper encompasses issues concerning the consequences of a terrorist crime in terms of statutory and judicial penalties as well as other penal measures. In this part the author analyses, in particular, the question of extraordinary enhancement of punishment for terrorist crimes, including doubts that can be aroused in practice by the regulations concerning punishment progression applied to terrorists as well as the possibility and rules of applying other measures having an impact on the legal situation of the perpetrators of terrorist crimes.
The study attempts to draw attention to some, the most important complex threads — both in the criminological and the dogmatic legal sense — problems of crime of terrorist character. The starting point of considerations conducted in part I of the article is the historical analysis referring to genesis and evolution of dogmatic and normative perception and understanding of the concept of terrorist offense — from the legislation of the interwar period through post-war regulations, until the regulation of the Penal Code of 1969. The central thread of this part of the study is the analysis of the normative shape of a terrorist offense construction in terms of art. 115 § 20 of the Penal Code, legal nature of this institution as well as the consequences at the level of application of the discussed regulations. Considerations taken in part II of the study cover issues regarding the consequences of committing a crime of a terrorist character in the sphere of statutory and judicial punishment and other penal measures. In this part of the analysis, the issue of extraordinary tightening of punishment was subjected in particular to a terrorist crime including doubts that in practice the provisions relating to the rule of progression of punishment of terrorists can cause, as well as the possibility and rules of using other institutions shaping the legal situation of the perpetrator of a terrorist offense.
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