Introduction: The aim of the research was to determine the relationship between the fear of COVID-19 and inmates’ the sense of loneliness.Method: The research was carried out using the diagnostic survey method. Two standardized research tools, adapted to Polish conditions, were used: the COVID-19 fear scale of D.K. Ahorsu et al. (Adaptation - A. Lewicka-Zelent, W. Czerski) and the Sense of Loneliness Scale de Jong Gierveld. (adaptation - P. Grygiel, G. Humenny, S. Rębisz, P. Świtaj, J. Sikorska). The group of respondents consisted of 429 people staying in six penitentiary units - 6 prisons and 2 pre-trial detention centers, randomly selected by the Central Board of the Prison Service.Results: The results of own research show that inmates do not feel a strong fear of Covid-19, and their sense of loneliness is of moderate intensity. The correlation between them is weak and positive. This means that as the fear of the coronavirus intensifies, the sense of loneliness increases in people imprisoned in solitary confinement.Implications: The obtained research results indicate the need to continue the research undertaken in a situation where sanitary restrictions related to minimizing the risk of falling ill with COVID-19 are reintroduced. Inmates should take additional measures to prevent negative consequences resulting from the high level of fear of COVID-19 and inmates’ the sense of loneliness. It is not even about wide-ranging impacts, but rather targeted at individual people who experience increased fear of the coronavirus and loneliness, despite being with other inmates in prison. It means the necessity to make a detailed diagnosis in this regard among persons deprived of liberty.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a disorder whose symptoms are mostly observed in childhood, however, their intensity may also persist into adulthood. What is more, research shows that the very nature of this disorder’s symptoms is such that adults experience numerous secondary consequences of the disorder. The purpose of the described pilot studies was to determine the connection between hyperactivity disorder and criminal behaviour as well as between hyperactivity disorder and mental functioning understood as the experience of trauma, maladaptive emotional schemas and mental health. Two groups of convicts participated in the research: first offenders and recidivists in prison aged from 21 to 65. Each group consists of 20 people (40 in total). Participants in the study were recruited from semi-open prisons in Poland (Detention Centre in Poznań, Iława Prison). The control group consisted of men without a criminal record aged from 21 to 65 – 20 men in total. The DIVA 5.0 questionnaire was used in order to recognise the intensity of ADHD symptoms. Other questionnaires used in the study were the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale IV (FACES-IV), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). The results of pilot studies demonstrate that ADHD materially correlates with the experience of early childhood trauma. ADHD intensity also correlates with the evaluation of family functioning – these people evaluated relationships in their families of origin more negatively than the control group. Finally, ADHD intensity correlates with the disclosure of maladaptive emotional schemas. Research results did not demonstrate a connection between the intensity of ADHD symptoms and the tendency to get into conflicts with the law.The conducted research is innovative in nature as it attempts to provide a multifactorial approach to relationship between ADHD and criminal behavior.

The article treats about problem of special protection which is dedicated to convict taking part in criminal proceedings as witness, suspect, accused or aggrieved and due to this position there exists serious threat or immediate concern of serious threat to his life or health. Such kind of protection is connected with fact that the person covered by it, may be attacked or threatened by others who are afraid of being in worse position in leading criminal cases or beig accused of any offence. The analyzes performed in the text prove that regulation of article 88d of Polish Executive Penal Code is complicated, leads to unequal treatment of convicts and basically duplicates the existing regulations in convict’s protection. It is proposed to remove the article 88d from Polish Executive Penal Code.