On Establishing Origins of the Russian Penitentiary System
Reent Yu.A. On establishing origins of the Russian penitentiary system. Penitentiary Science, 2025, vol. 19, no. 4 (72), pp. 348–353. doi 10.46741/2686-9764.2025.72.4.001
the article discusses problematic issues related to the definition of origins of the
Russian penal system. The terminology and the conceptual framework adopted in the implementation
of criminal law norms are briefly analyzed. The relevance of the research is determined by the
importance of historical experience of the functioning of the prison system in modern realities. The
purpose of the publication is to substantiate the need to review the starting point of the history of the
Russian penal system. The author uses historical, dialectical, and formal logical methods, taking into
account various chronological periods and points of view. Special attention is paid to the first cases of
legal regulation containing only certain features of modern penal enforcement practice. Results: the
study of examples containing important regulatory provisions on the execution of criminal penalties
is of considerable scientific interest in order to identify current trends. The author substantiates his
own position to assessing the time and events to be accepted as the origin of the Russian penal
system. The author formulates a controversial problem for wide discussion.
Keywords: history of Russia; penal system; prison institutions; organization of the execution of criminal liability; the 1550 Judicial Code.
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