Corruption as a phenomenon occurs in almost all countries and on all threat, corruption, negatively affects all levels of public life. The level of corruption is virtually impossible to assess. Knowledge of corruption comes mainly from studies of social perception. Therefore, it is subjected to error, which results from a subjective overview of the phenomenon. Officially presented statistics give only an outline of threats. The author describes corruption in Poland in the light of research and analysis, indicates the areas of public life particularly threatened with corruption as well as presents proposals to limit the practice.