On Functioning of the Mentoring Institution in the Penitentiary System: the View of Employees
Efimenko A.A., Pisarev O.M. On functioning of the mentoring institution in the penitentiary system: the view of employees. Penitentiary Science, 2025, vol. 19, np. 2 (70), pp. 200–208. doi 10.46741/2686-9764.2025.70.2.010.
The article attempts to update a number of problematic issues related to the functioning of the mentoring institution in facilities and bodies executing criminal penalties. In the context of educational work carried out with the staff of the penitentiary department, the goals and objectives of mentoring activities are determined. Attention is focused on regulatory and social components of the mentoring process and the variety of functions performed. It is stated that mentoring is an important and effective tool that contributes to the optimal adaptation process of young professionals to the conditions of modern penitentiary activities. Purpose: to identify problematic areas of activity of the mentoring institution in the penitentiary system at the present stage and to determine the effectiveness of the work carried out by means of a comprehensive assessment of mentor-mentee relationships. Methods: a method of literary sources analysis, a psychological communicative method, and a survey. The survey covered 542 people divided into two focus groups. Results: when implementing mentoring activities, it is important to combine organizational, legal, social, psychological and pedagogical factors. It is established that discipline, sociability, legal erudition, and willingness to teach are of paramount importance for mentors. It is revealed that practice-focused lessons, monitoring of the execution of service duties, regular individual conversations are the most effective forms of mentoring. It is determined that the effectiveness of the mentor-mentee relationship depends on a rational model of official behavior based on a practice-oriented approach to a young employee. Some ways of increasing the role of the mentoring institution in the penal system are proposed. Conclusion: it is stated that in modern realities, the mentoring institution plays an important role in solving problems related to the personnel and organizational aspects of professional activity in the penal system. It is determined that the integration of administrative, social, psychological, pedagogical and methodological components in the implementation of mentoring activities makes it possible to form an effective mentor-mentee interaction model. This will significantly increase capacities of educational work with staff, based on key principles of supporting professional continuity and strengthening service traditions.
Keywords: penal system employee, educational work, mentoring institution, mentor, mentee, professional activity, professional development.
Penitentiary Service of Russia. In: VII Pedagogicheskie chteniya, posvyashchennye pamyati professora S.I. Zlobinas: sb.
materialov: v 3 tomakh, Perm, 5–7 oktyabrya 2021 goda. Tom 3 [VII Pedagogical readings dedicated to the memory of
Professor S.I. Zlobin: collection of materials: in 3 volumes, Perm, October 5–7, 2021. Volume 3]. Perm, 2021. Pp. 103–106.
(In Russ.).
2. Fadeeva S.A., Mukhin M.I., Ugryumov Yu.M. et al. Gosudarstvenno-politicheskoe, dukhovno-nravstvennoe i patrioticheskoe vospitanie rabotnikov molodezhnogo vozrasta: metod. rekomendatsii [State-political, spiritual, moral and patriotic education of youth workers: methodological recommendations]. Moscow, 2024. 45 p.
3. Organizatsiya nastavnicheskoi deyatelnosti v FKOU VO Kuzbasskii institut FSIN Rossii: metod. rekomendatsii [Organization of mentoring activities at the Kuzbass Institute of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia: methodological recommendations]. Comp. by Shubnikova N.G., Tagirova N.M., Ivashko N.N. Ed. by Tumanov A.B. Novokuznetsk, 2017. 46 p.
4. Erofeeva M.A., Lebedev M.V. Formirovanie kommunikativno-pedagogicheskoi kompetentnosti u sotrudnikov ugolovno-ispolnitelnoi sistemy sredstvami professionalnogo nastavnichestva: monogr. [Formation of communicative and pedagogical competence in employees of the penal system by means of professional mentoring: monograph]. Moscow, 2024.
160 p.
5. Apakhova V.M., Vatoropin A.S. Functions and features of mentoring in personnel adaptation of the penal system. Siberian
Socium, 2021, vol. 5, no. 4 (18), pp. 63–74. (In Russ.).
6. Filippova T.V. Factors influencing the development of pedagogical support for mentoring in correctional institutions. In:
Osoznanie Kultury – zalog obnovleniya obshchestva. Perspektivy razvitiya sovremennogo obshchestva: materialy XXII Vseros. nauch.-prakt. konf., Sevastopol, 16–17 aprelya 2021 goda [Awareness of culture is the key to the renewal of society.
Prospects for the development of modern society: proceedings of the XXII All-Russian research-to-practice conference,
Sevastopol, April 16–17, 2021]. Sevastopol, 2021. Pp. 117–119. (In Russ.).
7. Chugunova Yu.S., Matveenko V.E. Professionalnoe stanovlenie sotrudnikov UIS: dukhovno-nravstvenyi aspekt: monogr.
[Professional development of UIS staff: spiritual and moral aspect: monograph]. Ryazan, 2013. 173 p.
8. Sklyarenko I.S., Blagoveshchenskaya M.A. Methodological foundations for developing the mentoring institution in law
enforcement agencies. Penitentsiarnaya nauka = Penitentiary Science, 2024, vol. 18, no. 4 (68), pp. 449–458. (In Russ.).
9. Erofeeva M.A., Lebedev M.V. Formirovanie kommunikativno-pedagogicheskoi kompetentnosti u sotrudnikov ugolovno-ispolnitelnoi sistemy sredstvami professionalnogo nastavnichestva: monogr. [Formation of communicative and pedagogical competence among employees of the penal system by means of professional mentoring: monograph]. Moscow,
2024.160 p.
10. Drozdova E.A., Aksenova A.V. Institute of mentoring in the penal enforcement system: social and legal aspect. Probely
v rossiiskom zakonodatelstve = Gaps in Russian Legislation, 2018, no. 4, pp. 253–255. (In Russ.).
11. Mel’nikova M.V. Problem issues of mentoring in the prison system. Teoriya i praktika nauchnykh issledovanii: psikhologiya, pedagogika, ekonomika i upravlenie = Theory and Practice of Scientific Research: Psychology, Pedagogy, Economics and Management, 2019, no. 4(8), pp. 58–67. (In Russ.).
12. Anfinogenov V.A. Certain aspects of the social adaptation of young employees in the service of institutions and bodies of the penal system. Probely v rossiiskom zakonodatelstv = Gaps in Russian Legislation, 2018,
no. 4, pp. 306–308. (In Russ.).
13. Nurbaev M.S., Mishustin S.P. Organizatsionno-pravovoe obespechenie nastavnichestva v rabote s kadrami ugolovnoispolnitelnoi sistemy: ucheb.-metod. posobie [Organizational and legal support for mentoring in working with personnel of
the penal correction system: educational and methodological guide]. Samara, 2015. 58 p.
