“The Russian Community in Prison and Exile” by N. M. Yadrintsev as a Source for Studying the Penitentiary Policy of Pre-Revolutionary Russia: Experience of Historical and Political Science Actualization

Abstract

The purpose of the publication is to emphasize the first major work of the founder of the Siberian regionalism N. M. Yadrintsev “The Russian community in prison and exile” in 1872 as a journalistic and scientific source for studying the penitentiary policy of pre-revolutionary Russia. This monumental and relevant work in the 21st century can be safely put on a par with such similar bestsellers as “Notes from the Dead House” by F. M. Dostoevsky, “Sakhalin Island” by A. P. Chekhov and “Siberia and Hard Labor” by S. V. Maksimova. The publication shows the main socio-political ideas of the leader of the movement of Siberian democratic regionalists in the field of state penitentiary policy. The authors found that, sharing the basic provisions of populist political philosophy, N. M. Yadrintsev attached a special role to the community in the re-education of the criminal element. The authors come to the conclusion that the value of the material of the book under consideration for the historical and political analysis of the penitentiary policy is determined by the range of problems presented in it. First of all, these are unique data and reflections on the organization of prison life, the situation of guards, the tasks of correcting a criminal, etc.