About the journal

The research and practice journal Penitentiary Science was founded by the Federal State-Financed Educational Institution “Vologda Law and Economics Institute of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia” in 2007. Prior to August 2019 the journal was published under the title Institute Bulletin: Crime, Punishment, Correction.

According to the Decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the journalPenitentiary Science is on the List of peer-reviewed academic journals and editions that are authorized to publish principal research findings of doctor of sciences and candidate of sciences dissertations in the following scientific specialties:5.1.1 Theoretical and historical sciences (legal sciences); 5.1.2 Public law (state law) sciences (legal sciences); 5.1.4 Criminal law sciences(legal sciences);5.3.9 Legal psychology and psychological security(psychological sciences); 5.8.1 General pedagogy, history of pedagogy and education(pedagogical sciences). In the current List of the Higher Attestation Commission, the journal is classified as K2.

According to the Recommendation of the Presidium of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 32/1-NS of December 10, 2021 “On the conjugation of scientific specialties of the nomenclature approved by the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 118 of February 24, 2021, scientific specialties of the nomenclature approved by the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 1027 of October 23, 2017” scientific specialties of the nomenclature approved by the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 118 of February 24, 2021 correspond to the scientific specialties provided for by the previously valid nomenclature of scientific specialties.

Journal indexing in databases of Russia and other countries

• EBSCOhost
• Google Scholar
• Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI)
• CyberLeninka
• WorldCat
• ISTINA (Intellectual System for Thematic Research on Scientometric Data)
• Electronic Library System “Lan’”
• Union of Criminalists and Criminologists
• The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
• Electronic periodic reference book “System GARANT“

The work of Russia’s penal system has always been in the focus of attention of public authorities, civil society institutions and the academic community. At present, such attention is due to the need to establish a penal system that would successfully meet the challenges of the current crime situation in Russia and comply with international standards for treating incarcerated individuals; all this can be achieved only with the help of basic and applied research. In this regard, Penitentiary Science provides the general public with relevant research findings and gives them an unbiased assessment concerning their relevance, novelty, scientific content and theoretical and practical significance.

The journal provides a convenient platform for effective cooperation between academic and educational institutions and law enforcement agencies of Russia and other countries on criminal liability, enforcement of sentences, crime prevention, development and functioning of the penal system and other law enforcement agencies.

The journal publishes research findings of teams of authors from VIPE FSIN and other educational and academic institutions, provides information on international, national and regional scientific events organized by VIPE FSIN and other institutions, and gives an overview of their results. Moreover, the journal publishes papers by foreign authors on the experience of law enforcement agencies and penitentiary services of other countries.

It is our sincere hope that our journal will retain and multiply its contribution to the development of scientific thought, improvement of the quality and enhancement of the level of ongoing research. We also believe that our journal will provide a foundation for building solid reputations of its contributors and become an important tool of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation to raise the quality of scientific research evaluation.  

We look forward to cooperating with authors, invite you to subscribe to the journal, encourage submission of research materials, and welcome your feedback on the journal’s content.