Service in the Federal Penitentiary Service

UFSIN is the Federal Penitentiary Service . This body belongs to the executive branch and is controlled by the Ministry of Justice. The institutions of this system that directly carry out punishment include correctional and educational colonies and pre-trial detention centers.

Work in the Federal Penitentiary Service is a public service . In our country, service to the state is considered honorable and prestigious. In order to get a job in an institution of the penal system, you must go through a serious selection process. To do this, you need to have no criminal record, perform many psychological tests, and pass physical standards. To be able to find employment in a colony or pre-trial detention center, men must serve in the army. Is it worth going through such a difficult path and getting a job at the Federal Penitentiary Service? Let's look at the pros and cons of the service.

Advantages of serving in the penal system

Preferential pension. Employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service system have the right to retire early. The basis for receiving a preferential pension is having 20 years of service. An employee also has the right to receive a pension if he: has already reached the age of 45 years; has more than 12.5 years of experience in the penal system; total work experience more than 25 years.
Opportunity for career growth. Depending on what position a person is applying for, service in the Federal Penitentiary Service can begin either with the rank of private or with a higher rank. If the applicant has a higher specialized education, then he can immediately apply for the rank of lieutenant. Further, during the course of service, the employee is assigned successive ranks. An extraordinary title may also be awarded for individual merits and achievements. Working in this state system, it is almost impossible to work all your life in the same position. If an employee serves conscientiously and for a long time, then he will definitely advance in his career.
Salary increases are correlated with increases in length of service. For employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service, various salary bonuses are provided, but the most noticeable is the bonus for length of service. This means that the longer the length of service in the penitentiary system, the higher the salary.
Social guarantees. Children of employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service are provided with priority places in kindergartens. You can also exercise the right to partial compensation for the cost of a trip to a children's camp. Each employee has the right to take advantage of sanatorium-resort treatment in the sanatoriums of the Federal Penitentiary Service. The voucher is provided free of charge after treatment in a hospital or during the rehabilitation period after an injury. Holidays in a sanatorium without indications are partially paid for by the employee. If an employee is transferred to a new duty station, he is paid a monthly monetary compensation to pay for rented housing.
Employee life and health insurance. In case of injury during service, the victim is paid compensation to cover the costs of treatment and rehabilitation.
Additional vacation days are provided for those who have extensive experience. For those employees who have served for 10 years or more, an increase in the duration of vacation is provided.

The head of a women's prison spoke about the difficulties of work

“I shed a lot of tears in Butyrka”

Guard towers, a concrete “box” of “assembly”, the roar of paddy wagons, the howl of a siren, searchlights over the “ban”, checks, roll calls, the eternal smell of dampness... You want to distance yourself from the world behind the barbed wire.

— What kind of “gums” can you go there voluntarily?

“I graduated from school with a silver medal, I didn’t want to go far from my mother. A medical school was just opened in our town of Kostopol, Rivne region. That’s where I went to study,” says Svetlana Ivanovna. — Then I tried to enter Kiev University, I had a diploma with honors. To become a student, it was enough to pass one exam with an “A” grade. The competition was huge. I was given a “B” in biology, I passed all the other exams successfully, but still did not pass the competition. Started working as a nurse. All positions were filled, I worked as a substitute: either at the SES or at the clinic. It was a good school. And then I found my destiny. Vladimir studied at a school nearby. We got married. When Vladimir served in the army in Borshchev, a fellow countryman who worked in the penal system in Moscow came to their unit. He began to invite the guys to work in the internal affairs bodies, promising mountains of gold. My husband left for the capital, and a year later I went to see him in Moscow.

It was impossible to get a job as a doctor without registration. Only Muscovites were accepted into medical universities. At the age of 20, I had to go to work at the Butyrka prison as a controller, and on the duty shift. I was given a robe. The atmosphere was oppressive, everything around was painted brown, dark blue and black, and there was a constant smell of bleach and dichlorvos. And one day, one of the mentally ill forensic examiners, when everyone left the cell for a walk, cut me off and blocked the road... Help arrived immediately, but when I got home, I cried all evening. My husband then took me to his duty shift. But I shed many more tears in Butyrka.

Fortunately, the team was chosen well. Back then, front-line soldiers served in Butyrka - selfless people who went through the war. I remember one of the senior members of the corps was Kotlova, a large woman with curves, whom everyone called “the mother of the prison” and was terribly afraid of. Then she was replaced by Nina Petrovna Kuznetsova. She always shouted: “Hey you little shacks, quickly line up.” Those under investigation for insults wrote a complaint against her. There was a prosecutor's check. Then, opening the cameras, she said: “Little doves, line up.” We asked her: “Why doves?” Nina Petrovna explained: “So they still live under a roof...”

I worked on shift for almost 8 years and held all positions. I remember that the Minister of Internal Affairs of the USSR Nikolai Shchelokov arrived on one of the night shifts. And I was already in uniform, junior sergeant, reporting: “I wish you good health!” He was surprised: “How do such girls work in prisons?”

Then, since I wrote correctly and had legible handwriting, they took me to fill out documents at the reception. I interviewed the people under investigation and verified the data indicated in their personal files.

— Which famous figures do you remember?

— In the Butyrka prison at that time there were many trade workers who were involved in the Vneshposyltorg-Beryozka case. They were suspected of corruption and theft. At the same time, the furrier business was going on, which involved many sophisticated women, well educated, with good manners. There was no hassle with them.

Retired Colonel of the Internal Service Svetlana Umryashkina. Photo: Press service of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Moscow

- Have you managed to work in your main specialty - as a paramedic?

There was such an experience. On the night shift there was only one doctor and one paramedic, and there were many prisoners. As soon as the defendants got into the pre-trial detention center, they immediately remembered all their illnesses. There used to be a lot of suicides. We provided first aid. Often the prisoners' actions were of a demonstrative nature.

Do you know how they faked jaundice? This is at least 30 days of quarantine. They are not touched at this time, they are not taken to court. Prisoners are allowed to send lard in parcels. When it sits, it turns yellow. And so the craftsmen cut a piece from it, tie it with a thread, swallow it whole, and hook the other end to the tooth, and walk like this for several days. The gallbladder became clogged with fat, and the sclera - the membranes of the eyes - turned yellow.

But we knew about all these tricks. For example, how they feigned scabies, hoping that the entire cell would be quarantined. Having found a paperclip that an employee might have accidentally dropped, they sharpened the tip and placed points in the lower abdomen, in the groin or between the fingers. Moreover, they knew that scabies is caused by a mite. We made two mandatory points - the entrance and exit of the tick. But we were ready for all this.

— Did you have any desire to give up everything and leave?

“I kept telling my husband: “Let’s leave.” Vladimir was also sure that we would not be here for long. But then he entered the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and I followed him to study. Graduated from the academy with honors. The husband became deputy chief of operations. As a close relative, I could no longer work under his leadership. I was transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1, known as “Matrosskaya Tishina”. I became an instructor in educational work with minors.

— Teenagers who break the law are usually very cruel. How did you find a common language with them?

“There were all sorts of kids there.” For example, there was a boy from a large family who climbed into houses through the window and took food out of the refrigerator. He was 16 years old, but looked no more than 12, small, thin, no one in the family really fed him.

I worked as a teacher, we were on duty around the clock, there were a hundred people each. We went with the teenagers for a walk, to the cinema, to the bathhouse, and put them to bed. Of course, they gave us a hard time, especially the “second movers”, who considered themselves already quite seasoned. They cleaned the cells themselves, and the corridors were washed by women - convicts from the household service detachment. They were dressed in dresses and skirts. And so the teenagers, contrivingly, pulled back the peephole and spied how they bent over and washed the floor. Only female convicts will adjust the frequency, like teenagers pouring water from a tank intended for tea under the door. And then they knock to remove it. And such a “flood” occurred several times during a shift. Of course, we had to be strict. But I managed to find an approach to the youngsters.

And their ingenuity knew no bounds. For example, it was forbidden to keep pets in the cells. One day, while out for a walk, they picked up a cat and skillfully trained it. As soon as the key was turned in the lock, the teenagers opened the door of the bedside table, and the mustachioed striped one instantly jumped in.

The parrot Gosha, who lived for many years in the office of the head of the detention center, did not recognize the cage. Photo: Press service of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Moscow

“Artists, musicians, fashion designers and even a ballerina were subject to compulsory treatment.”

— Soon you became the head of a labor treatment center (LTP). How did you decide to work with chronic alcoholics?

— In pre-trial detention center No. 1, I was elected secretary of the party organization. I already had a smaller plot, I worked with household services. At this time, the construction of LTP No. 4, intended for women, had just begun. Previously, there were no such institutions. I was first offered the position of political officer there, and later I headed the labor treatment center.

The institution was designed for 610 people, but they brought us 800. We had to weld a second tier onto the beds. Women came to us for compulsory treatment by court order. They all had reports to the police, to a sobering-up center, and they were in hospitals. And then if they started drinking, either their relatives or the local police officers wrote a statement against them. The court made a ruling, and we accepted it.

They all worked for us. It must be said that the majority were great craftsmen, real hard workers. They quickly mastered the profession of seamstress. We had our own sewing workshop, our students sewed children's clothes. There was also a branch of the Bolshevichka factory. The women earned good money, but it still happened that they ran away. We looked for them throughout the Moscow region, went around all the hot spots, found them and returned them to the medical center.

We always held concerts during the holidays. And what kind! We had artists, musicians, fashion designers and even one ballerina undergoing compulsory treatment. We had our own choir, talented parodists.

One day they called from the men's medical laboratory and offered to organize a joint concert. And before that, an orchestra of Russian folk instruments came to us. Our women sat and yawned at their performance. And the alcoholic men were greeted with thunderous applause. What was going on there! Bards and artists performed. Our women ran after the bus all the way to the gate when they left for their unit.

— Your players didn’t try to start a brew?

“We were strict about this.” The cells are large, for 30 people, everything is in sight, there are no nooks. It was in Butyrka that there were craftsmen who once made a moonshine still using a ballpoint pen refill.

—Have you met any drug addicts?

— During my entire service in the LTP, and it lasted about 5 years, there was only one drug addict. This lady was from sexual minorities, as they themselves say, a “male.” One day while on duty they tell me: “Nina Afanasyeva (last and first names have been changed) demands a boss.” I go up to the third floor, where we have a medical department where newly admitted women are initially placed. I see him sitting on the bed in a scarf tied with a cap. I was still surprised: “How could we have a man?” And this was Nina. That night she told me a lot about her life. Then we had long conversations with her more than once.

When she was already released from the LTP, the guys from the checkpoint told me that a certain man in a gray suit came to see me several times. I kept wondering who it could be. Then I realized that it was Nina. But I was either at a meeting or negotiating with the builders. We never met.

By that time, a decision had already been made to build a women’s pre-trial detention center on the basis of the LTP. I remember when the last of the six detachments were transported on buses to Vologda and Mordovia, the women were sitting on their bags, I, passing by, remarked: “Well, have you achieved your goal?” And many of them did not want to be treated, they wrote letters to Yeltsin to close the medical treatment facility. They began to convince me in unison that they did not want to leave.

Pre-trial detention center No. 6 is popularly known as the “Women’s Bastille”. Photo: ru.wikipedia.org

“On Shosseynaya, nine-two, there is a women’s prison...”

— In 1994, pre-trial detention center No. 6 began to be built in Pechatniki, and you became the head of the “women’s Bastille,” as the pre-trial detention center was then popularly called?

“I built this isolator, and then worked in it for 16 years. Our boss Artemyev began to run for the Duma, wrote an application for retirement, and I was temporarily hired as deputy chief for the regime. Then they wrote a report against me, I became the first woman - the head of the pre-trial detention center. Lawyers and investigators later admitted to me: “We thought that we would see a certain lady grenadier with sadistic tendencies. And then suddenly a woman with glasses appears, looking like a teacher.” I tried to be an example for my subordinates in everything; I always came to work ironed, combed, and in a good mood.

Although everything was not easy in the first couple. First, they brought in housekeeping staff who washed the cells. Then 600 people came to us, I wasn’t on vacation for a long time, they told me: “Go and rest.” And I was afraid that they might bring me mothers with children who were kept in the first detention center. They assured me that they would not be disturbed from their place. And suddenly, on vacation, I find out that they are bringing us mothers with children. There was no time for rest. It was urgently necessary to build kitchens into ordinary cells so that food could be heated for the babies, washed and changed. They began to bring in cribs and strollers. We found sponsors who gave us diapers, formula, and bottles.

The children ranged from infants to 3 years old. We equipped them with a walking yard with a children's playground. I remember how one boy went out for a walk with his mother. And, pointing to the grass, he asked: “What is this?” Previously, they only walked in a completely concreted yard.

— Are female prisoners good mothers?

“I often remember one of these mothers. She was underage, had already left one child in the maternity hospital and was about to give birth again. We told her: “Well, why do you need a child now?” She insisted: “I’ll give birth, that’s all!” The baby was born, and they were both taken to a prison camp to be transported to a colony closer to the mother’s place of residence, in Siberia. We had to spend about three days on the road. And in a carriage with a convict and a child, there must be an accompanying person. Then this nurse arrived all in tears and said: “I’m going to quit.” It turns out that as soon as that mother entered the carriage, she immediately threw the child on the shelf and said: “I don’t need him.” And the accompanying person fed and nursed the baby all the way. But the unfortunate mother never approached the baby. She thought that when she gave birth, she would be lenient and released. Such women often view a child as an object of manipulation.

I remember another woman, a Moldovan. She used to be in the Butyrka prison; she faked an “acute stomach” and escaped from the hospital. The operatives caught her at all stations, found her and brought her back. And then she came to us at the LTP. She already had two children and was about to give birth to a third. But there is no husband, only a partner. And this poor fellow not only raised her two children, but also, with the permission of the court, took a third, joint child. I also constantly carried packages for her.

We tried our best to help those under investigation, defendants and convicts who were awaiting escort to a colony. It happened that their children disappeared, they didn’t write for a long time, we started looking for them, called the local police officer. Or someone's house was left unlocked when they were arrested. We contacted the administration to close and seal the housing. Some even received a pension. And when there was a shortage of food, they brought zucchini, potatoes, and vegetables from their dachas to the detention center. Then they themselves planted vegetable gardens and greenhouses on the territory of the pre-trial detention center. They put radishes and greens on the common table. The temple also helped us; they brought us cucumbers and apples.

— Was it at your instigation that a temple in honor of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles, appeared on the territory of pre-trial detention center-6?

— It was not included in the project. It was assumed that only a room for religious ceremonies would be equipped. In Butyrka, Father Nikolai (Matvienko) looked after the flock. It turned out that he came from the same village as my mother-in-law. We joined forces, and soon a stone was laid for the future temple in one of the “six” towers.

During the construction of the detention center, the head of Umryashkina fought for every tree. Photo: Press service of the Federal Penitentiary Service for Moscow

— There is an opinion that women prisoners are more troublesome than men. They are capricious, throw tantrums, scream, and fight among themselves.

- Women are emotional. I remember mothers who had small children got into a fight over not dividing the shelves in the refrigerator. One of them is Valentina (name changed), who was involved in the “bombers” case. Their group was accused of a series of explosions, including at the FSB reception. Her relative held a high position, and the woman’s lawyer appeared in our detention center almost every day. Either he asked not to offend Valentina, or he offered to give her the grapes. And she was very sorry that we reprimanded her for the fight.

By the way, for the only time in all the years of work, in connection with the “bombers” case, I was assigned security. Their organization had an extensive network. One of the anarchists called and said: “Umryashkina must be liquidated.” I went to and from work with security.

For the most part, those involved in famous cases behaved with dignity. This applies to the co-owner of Chara Bank, the mother of the founder of the Khoper-Invest holding, and a woman expert from the Hermitage who was accused of forging paintings.

Sometimes we had a mother and daughter and two sisters with us at the same time. Then many of the convicts wrote letters to us and sent telegrams of congratulations. Although we were on opposite sides of the bars, we were not each other’s enemies.

— How do employees feel about “pink”, lesbian love?

- We don't approve of this. Who in the common cell enjoys watching all this? We also do not welcome families when people under investigation unite and eat together. As soon as we learn about the formation of such groups, we will immediately resettle them. After all, each such family has a leader, and if there are two or three such families in a cell, they soon begin to find out among themselves who is more important, a division begins, which often ends in a fight.

“Many people, once they get to work in prisons and pre-trial detention centers, soon begin to “pull the hairdryer.” How not to merge with the criminal environment?

“As soon as one of the women started telling me something in jargon, I stopped her: “I don’t understand you. Can you explain everything in normal language? I always addressed prisoners by their first and patronymic names and tried not to raise my voice. They really appreciated it.

— Surely there was something funny in the prison world behind bars?

“Once I walked into the cell and, looking at one of the defendants, I started laughing. Before the New Year, our sponsors gave us tampons instead of sanitary pads. A holiday is coming. One of the women wrapped her hair in tampons, like curlers.

We also held concerts at which only household servants had the right to attend. And one day they call us from the Romen Theater: “We want to sing for women.” Their producer arrived, it seemed like we had discussed everything. And then he asks: “Just take one of the women out of the cell for us.” I explain that I have no right to do this. He seemed to agree. Soon they arrive in full force. And, having gone on stage, they again ask to bring this woman to them, they say, she will just sit with them, talk, and eat. I said, "That won't happen." They responded: “Well then there won’t be a concert.” They packed up and left.

— How many people did you have under your command?

— About 600 employees, only women held positions. Men mostly worked in security, in the regime.

— Did you fire anyone?

- It happened. I remember that the on-duty assistant to the head of the pre-trial detention center came to us from the police. During the day he worked normally, but in the evening, as I was told, he got drunk. And then it was possible to fire someone if an examination confirmed the presence of alcohol in the person’s blood. In the evening I pretended to leave and returned through the back door myself. He apparently sensed something and disappeared. I looked for him for a long time, but he hid. As a result, I took explanatory notes from the employees and fired him.

— What is your experience?

- Calendar - 45 years, and if you take into account the preferential one, when a year goes by one and a half years - then the length of service turns out to be more than my years! I have been retired since 2010. Now I head the Council of Veterans of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the city of Moscow. But I can’t stop dreaming about my sixth detention center. On the eve of the holiday, I would like to wish the employees to be honest and take care of their officer and sergeant ranks. And don't stop learning.

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Certificate of criminal record

An employer may require a criminal record certificate, even though it has been expunged or expunged.

This certificate displays information about whether the applicant has been convicted of any crimes. If there was no trial, then the document notes that the person was involved in the case as a suspect or accused. An exception may be an acquittal or termination of prosecution due to exonerating circumstances.

If there is a criminal record in the past, it must be mentioned in the document, including when it is expunged or removed. Such a certificate indicates the body that handled the case and the grounds that led to the termination of the criminal record. The main information in the certificate is the qualification of the crime committed, since restrictions on certain types of work depend on this category.

If the applicant for the position has not been previously convicted, he will receive a certificate indicating the fact that there has been no criminal prosecution.

But providing such a certificate in some cases is not a mandatory condition for hiring people with a criminal record.

The registration procedure takes place in accordance with the Labor Code. In Article 65 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation you can see a list of documents required to be presented when concluding an employment contract with an employer, which includes a criminal record certificate. But it is absolutely necessary when applying for positions for which the law prohibits hiring citizens with a criminal record.

A criminal record certificate can be ordered through the public service portal.

Where to start searching for vacancies

First, you need to register with the employment center, where the employee can quickly find a vacancy for someone released from prison. If difficulties arise in finding work for those with a criminal record, the previously convicted person will be sent to training or retraining courses. After graduation, the former prisoner will have the opportunity to find a job.

Often such individuals are offered work on a rotational basis.

After completing training and acquiring the necessary skills, a person can apply for the following vacancies:

engineer;
manager;
electrician;
carpenter;
milling machine operator;
electric welder;
cook;
baker.

If you have problems with employment, you should contact an organization that protects the rights of prisoners.

Legislative opinion

Citizens who have served time in prison often encounter discrimination when trying to find employment. This is due to the fact that in Russia people with a criminal past are treated with prejudice.

Difficulty finding work after a criminal record.

After returning from prison, people find themselves unemployed, which often contributes to the commission of new crimes, since they have no choice where to get a job. In addition, even those vacancies for which they may apply become unavailable to them due to the negative attitude of employers.

According to the law (Article 331 of the Labor Code), persons with previous convictions and who have served time in colonies cannot be employed exclusively in positions specified in the law. They cannot be hired as teachers, civil servants, etc.

According to Art. 9 of the Resolution of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation “On approval of the Regulations on service in the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation”, such persons cannot be hired by government agencies. A similar restriction is established in legal regulations that regulate the following types of activities:

service in the FSB;
work at customs and police;
military service;
work in the judiciary, in particular in the prosecutor's office;
advocacy and auditing activities;
aviation service, etc.

Also, a convicted person cannot get a job in medical, educational, cultural and social institutions. The full list of positions is specified in Articles 331 and 351 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation.

Getting a job after expunging a criminal record.

However, all other professions are open to former prisoners with expunged criminal records. If a person is faced with constant refusals when applying for a job, then this circumstance is a violation of the law. If the employer does not indicate the reason for the refusal, you should go to court.

Employers' attitude towards suspended and expunged criminal records

If a person proves his innocence, then the criminal record is removed early in court.

A criminal record is considered expunged if the convicted person, after serving his term, has not violated the law for a certain period.

A criminal record may also be considered expunged if a court or other executive body declares an amnesty or pardon to a convicted person for any compelling reason.

However, information about a person’s criminal record remains in the Main Information and Analytical Center of the Russian Federation. However, it can be removed from the database if the criminal record was expunged due to exonerating circumstances.

We recommend reading:

Conviction during employment: are there grounds for refusal?

Employers in most cases have a negative attitude towards persons who have been convicted in the past, even if this conviction has already been expunged. Many people do not want to take the risk and take responsibility for this person.

Petr Kuryanov, an expert at the Foundation “In Defense of the Rights of Prisoners,” notes that for those released from prison, finding a job is a big problem. Employers often refuse out of fear that the rest of the staff will be against such a decision, and mass layoffs may begin.

Before you get free

In 2006, the Ministry of Justice approved instructions for assisting released convicts in finding employment (Order of the Ministry of Justice of Russia dated January 13, 2006 No. 2).
Six months before the release of a prisoner, they begin to prepare for a free life: in a correctional institution (PI), various conversations and classes are held with him. Including, at the request of the released person, the correctional institution is obliged to provide him with assistance in finding work and everyday life. To do this, the institution notifies the self-government bodies and the employment service at the place of residence chosen by the convicted person about his upcoming release, the availability of housing, his ability to work and available specialties.

If they answer that there are no suitable places, then the inspector for the labor and living conditions of convicts should continue to work on this issue, but in other areas. Of course, if the person being released agrees.

Also, convicts can travel outside the correctional facility to independently resolve their issues regarding work and housing, but for no longer than 7 days (not counting the time for travel there and back).

In addition, since March 2021, an agreement has been in force between the FSIN and the Federal Service for Labor and Employment (Rostrud) to assist those released from correctional institutions in finding employment. Rostrud is the operator of the electronic vacancy database “Work in Russia”, which contains current offers from employers and job seekers from all regions of the country. The employment of former prisoners takes place through this system.

But often such measures exist only on paper: prisoners often have not heard about social adaptation, and there are difficulties with work even in the correctional institutions themselves. The FSIN is even less concerned with the fate of those who have already left the walls of the “state house”.

What restrictions can an employer set?

An employer may require a criminal record certificate even if it is not included in the list of required documents when applying for a job. If a person applies for a position related to cash flows, etc., but has been convicted of money fraud, then the employer has the right to refuse such an applicant.

However, the law does not prohibit employers from requiring a document of no criminal record when hiring for positions where this is not necessary. But the official reason for refusal to hire in this case cannot be a certificate of serving a prison sentence, since this is illegal.

A citizen can record a conversation with a leader without his consent if his rights are grossly violated. In addition, the applicant may request a written justification for the refusal.

With this evidence, a citizen can go to court to protect his interests. But there is no guarantee that the employer will indicate the true reason for the refusal in the document. This most often becomes an obstacle to asserting one’s rights in the courts.

Assistance in finding a job after a criminal record has been cleared.