For a person who is unfamiliar with the penal system, it will be difficult to understand at once the essence of it. Thought we have some ideas about it, but they are a little narrowed. So what is the correctional system? What isit for in our society? What goals and objectives it carries out? I will try to answer these and many other questions. Most scientists and authors of books on this topic are of the opinion that the correctional system is a set of institutions and bodies, enforcing criminal penalties, some of which are linked to form a single management set of interacting entities. We cannot agreewith this definition, and besides, our legislature also supports it. The term "correctional system" was introduced by the Law of the Russian Federation of July 21, 1993, "Institutions and bodies executing criminal penalties of imprisonment"fixing correctionalinstitutions and leading them bodies. Part 14: Art. 16 ofthe Penal Code contents this concept. It includes the penal inspections, correctional centers and detention homes. The main goals pursued areto rehabilitate convicted persons and prevent further offenses, and also maintain social justice. The task of correctional institutions is to provide a process of correction, creation of conditions for the revaluation of life orientation, motives and goals of behaviour by inmates. This is done first of all by precise and steady execution, raising educational and cultural levels of the convicts, their physical, psychological, legal, spiritual development, and also by provision of civilized conditions of convicts in prison. Despite the large number of tasks, not all of them are realized in practice. The majority of them still remain on paper. To my mind, this is one of those issues that needs proper attention, if the state wishes become legal and move to the next stage of evolution. Besides therealso must be a certain base, main points which it could stick to and exist as an industry - it is its principles. In Article 8 of the Penal Code the system of principles of criminal law and law enforcement are fixed. They includes: the principle of legality, the principle of humanism, the principle of democracy, the principle of equality before the law, the principle of differentiation and individualization of corrective methods, the principle of rational use of corrective methods, means of correction and stimulation their legal behaviour-principle of combining punishment with corrective actions. On these principals the correctional system is based. I believe that this base is essential. Of course, some of these principles are general in nature, but by eliminating at least one, the system would no longer be complete, if at least one of them will be excluded. According to Article 74 of the Penal Code the number of correctional facilities includes: correctional colony-settlements, juvenile correctional facilities, medical and correctional health care facilities, correctional colonies, colonies with strict and special regimes, prisons. Execution of punishment of a military officerin a disciplinary unit is assigned to garrison commanders and units, as well as specialized disciplinary military units (ch.12 v.16). Execution of punishment of hard labour, compulsory labour, deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or engage in certain activities, as well as the control over the behaviour of individuals on probation in accordance with Art. 187 of the Penal Code, is assigned to the special penitentiary inspection. So we can see that not only the means of punishment of the crime may be different, but the system itself and its performance can vary, depending on the position of a man, his status, and the severity of the crime. Death penalty is also executed by the penal system.Until the moratorium on the death penalty took place this kind of punishment was executed at certain pre-trial detention centers and prisons. Some theorists believe that if the death penalty is guaranteed in the Criminal law, it should be used, otherwise it should be deleted. We cannot agree it, but the fact is that our country has signed the Convention on the prohibition of the death penalty and it does not give us the right to use it. And to eliminate the death we also cannot by a number of reasons. It alsoshould be emphasized that the work of the correctional system, as a social institution, is governed not only by legal norms, but norms of morality, but also influenced by the subculture existing among convicts. There is a certain order in these organizations Yes, maybe it is not written in nature, but its execution is compulsory for all members. Today the development of a legal state means reforming and the liberalization of the correctional system in Russia. One of the positive things aimed to change mistakes of the past isthe analyses of the most important issues and their eliminationas well. In this regard a number of programs are created dealing specific issues of organization and activity of the system. As it is correctly noted by some modern scholars, some time agothe great role of the state policy was felt in thework of the penal system. But recentlya large number of studies has been published on the work of the correctional system.Their research interests are not limitedby the study of historical stages of the penal system in our country but also abroad. But I think this is just the beginning, you can not immediately jump to a higher level, while the initial steps were not completed. I stick to the position that Russia is the country with its own individual way of development, so it is necessary to create the rules that are specific to its society. Of course, I do not deny the possibility of continuity of experience of foreign countries, but in this case you need to study it carefully, and think about whether it is possible in this country, if not, then why do we even need it? To sum up, I want to say that this issue is very relevant because of the fact that not all points are considered. There is always a topic for discussion. It is pleasant to know that in today's periodicals the experience gained in earlier decadesis used. There is a concept of continuity. I would also hope that the research data of the past will help to further improvement of the penal system. And I'm glad to observe that the government pays attention to this area by creating new and new programs, that in the future will be able to work not only on paper but also well implemented. S.K. Anisimov, a private of Interior Service a first-year cadet of Perm Institute of the Federal Penal Service, Perm Источник: ПИФСИН Материалы по теме