Juvenile penitentiary institutions in Northern European Russia in the 1930s – 1950s

Abstract

This article deals with the history of juvenile penitentiary institutions of the NKVD (MVD) in Northern European Russia in the 1930s – 1950s in the context of the nationwide policy of eliminating homelessness, neglect, and juvenile delinquency. The publication contains a historiographical review and characterization of sources on the research topic. The relevance of the article is connected with insufficient previous study of the problem caused by the fact that in the Soviet period the ideological component limited the opportunities for an objective study of the problem of juvenile penitentiary institutions. The situation changed in the post-Soviet period when researchers gained access to the previously closed archival fonds and it became possible to publish collections of documents. The documentary base of this article is based on the information from published and unpublished historical sources, and the material is generalized in a new format involving the information from the archival materials which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The availability of an extensive source base made it possible to fully characterize various aspects of the activity of juvenile penitentiary institutions of the NKVD (MVD) in Northern European Russia in the 1930s – 1950s. The author of the article demonstrates that the necessity to take actions aimed at eliminating homelessness, neglect, and delinquency among minors in combination with the presence of correctional labor institutions of the GULAG system in Northern European Russia ensured the formation of a developed structure of juvenile penitentiary institutions in the region. The optimal solution to the problem was to establish relatively small locally-based juvenile labor colonies and reception centers where the methods of re-education that met national standards were applied to adolescents. The author examines the process of establishing juvenile labor colonies and reception centers, shows the dynamics of the number of inmates, and highlights specific features of educational, professional, and production activities. It is concluded that the main part of juvenile penitentiary institutions began to operate during the Great Patriotic War, when the fight against fascist aggression led to an aggravation of socio-economic problems. The improvement of material and technical resources had a positive impact on production activities in juvenile labor colonies as well as on the organization of general education and vocational training of inmates.

Keywords

• homelessness
• neglect
• juvenile delinquency
• penitentiary system
• juvenile labor colonies
• reception centers
• northern european russia