Profiling Technologies in Law Enforcement: A Case Study of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia
Yuzhanin V.E., Gorban’ D.V. Profiling technologies in law enforcement: a case study of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. Penitentiary Science, 2026, vol. 20, no. 3 (75), pp. doi 10.46741/2713-2811.2026.75.3.003.
in the current conditions of societal development characterized by continuous
digitalization, introduction of high technologies, and changes in the social environment, new methods
to ensure security and maintain law and order are required. Profiling is an effective tool for analyzing
persons’ psychological characteristics and behavior to forecast their actions and prevent potential
threats. Today, profiling is successfully used in the activities of some law enforcement agencies,
including the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. The
common feature of using profiling technologies in the activities of these law enforcement agencies
is its focus on ensuring security and maintaining law and order. Nevertheless, problematic issues of
an organizational and legal nature are identified. Purpose: to conduct a comprehensive analysis of
the use of profiling technologies in the activities of law enforcement agencies using the example of
the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, to identify
problematic issues in the considered area of public relations, to develop ways to address them, and
to determine prospects for their development. Methods: analysis of scientific literature; study of
law enforcement practice; comparative analysis of the use of profiling in various law enforcement
agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Federal Penitentiary Service
of Russia; generalization of experience in using profiling technologies. Results: the main areas
of application of profiling technologies in the activities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia are identified. In the activities of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs of Russia, profiling is used to ensure security at transport infrastructure facilities,
to conduct public and mass events, to compile psychological and criminal profiles of offenders,
and to prevent terrorism and extremism-related crimes. In the activities of the Federal Penitentiary
Service of Russia, profiling is used to organize preventive work with suspects, accused persons, and
convicts, to select personnel, to ensure penitentiary security, and to prevent destructive behavior.
The main problematic issues are the following: insufficient standardization of profiling methods,
limited access to personal data, shortage of qualified specialists, and the need for continuous
improvement of technologies. The prospects for using profiling technologies in the activities of
government agencies are outlined: integration of artificial intelligence technologies, standardization
of profiling methods, development of a system for training specialists, and expansion of the areas of
profiling application. Conclusions: profiling technologies are an effective tool for ensuring security
in modern conditions. Their application requires a comprehensive approach, including improving
competence of specialists, introducing modern technical tools, developing unified methods, and
integrating with artificial intelligence systems. The use of profiling in law enforcement activities helps
to improve the effectiveness of preventive work and ensure public safety. Further development of
these technologies requires systematic and comprehensive approaches, as well as interdisciplinary
interaction among specialists from various fields and areas of knowledge.
Keywords: profiling; penitentiary security; law enforcement activities; specialist training; personnel selection; artificial intelligence; digitalization; profiling methods.
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