ALTERNATIVE PENALTIES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: DEVELOPMENT TENDENCIES

Current policy in the sphere of infliction and execution of criminal punishments is carried out in two main directions. Firstly, the range of crimes punished by alternative penalties is broadening. Secondly, new types of punishments not connected with imprisonment are being introduced, i.e. forced labor. According to official statistics it was planned to establish 8-9 out of 30 correctional centers throughout Russia by the 1st of January, 2013 but the location of only 3 of them had been agreed upon. According to the calculations of E.V. Pchelkina the establishment of 30 correctional centers with the staff will require from 2,325 to 2,463 billion rubles. I. Trunov also came to some deplorable conclusions: in his opinion the virtual prisons are supplemented by virtual correctional centers. There is practically no difference between forced labor in correctional centers and deprivation of liberty in penal settlements. The absence of normative regulation of supervision and control over the behavior of convicts can be referred to the problems connected with forced labor. The normal functioning of the above institution is impossible without the solution of some economic, organizational and legal problems. As the introduction of forced labor exists only in the plans for the nearest future, such a new type of an alternative penalty as deprivation of liberty has been used in the Russian Federation since 2010. It's necessary to note that this criminal punishment is effectively used alongside with other punishments.The number of those convicts sentenced to the deprivation of liberty who were registered in the penal enforcement inspections is constantly growing. But still there are some problems connected with the infliction of this punishment. Such an alternative penalty as compulsory community service is considered to be more effective from the point of its realization in practice. This type of punishment originated in our legal system in 1996 when the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation was adopted. This penalty was not imposed and therefore was not enforced till 2005. But current practice of infliction and enforcement of compulsory community service proves it to be effective. The number of convicts sentenced to compulsory community service and registered in penal enforcement inspections in the Russian Federation is constantly growing. In 2005 there were 17 382 convicts registered in the penal enforcement inspections, in 2006-41 550, in 2007-54 592, in 2008-64 167, in 2009-79 277, in 2010-96 483 and in 2011-112 523. Thus, one of the most important focus areas in the criminal and penal policies in the Russian Federation is the use of alternative criminal penalties. Still, many adopted decisions in this connection need further development.