✅ What is the red zone in prison, pre-trial detention center is black

In 2022, it is not customary in society to divide people into certain groups, castes and classes.

However, this rule does not work in places of deprivation of liberty, where for many decades a strict classification of all convicts into different groups (or suits, as they say in the zone) has been practiced.

Each suit differs from each other in its rights and prison status. In addition, not only the prisoners themselves are divided by color, but also the places of their imprisonment.

So, all zones are divided into “black” and “red”. In this article we will take a closer look at the question: what is the red zone?

What does the “red” zone mean?

In 2022, it is not customary in society to divide people into certain groups, castes and classes.
However, this rule does not work in places of deprivation of liberty, where for many decades a strict classification of all convicts into different groups (or suits, as they say in the zone) has been practiced. Each suit differs from each other in its rights and prison status. In addition, not only the prisoners themselves are divided by color, but also the places of their imprisonment.

So, all zones are divided into “black” and “red”. In this article we will take a closer look at the question: what is the red zone?

Red zone countries due to coronavirus: WHO list

Coronavirus infection is spreading differently in all countries. The speed depends on population density, restrictions imposed and some other factors. The countries with the highest number of cases have been included in a special list by experts from the World Health Organization. These are the so-called red zones.

In the fall of 2022, the second wave of coronavirus began. Some countries that managed to reduce the rate of infection in the summer are again among the leaders in incidence. Maintaining statistics in this case is very important, as it allows us to identify the most dangerous zones and limit entry and exit into these states.

Countries in the red zone due to coronavirus should pay attention to the increase in incidence and take appropriate measures. This order was issued by WHO experts. The leaders of some states, for their part, have already limited the flow of tourists in these directions and even the entry and exit to unsafe states. In the second ten days of October 2022, the list of the most dangerous zones looks like this:

Andorra (1495);
Czech Republic (660);
Montenegro (592);
Belgium (206);
Netherlands (231);
France (206);
UK (135);
Spain (110);
Armenia (105);
USA (92).

On a note!
The coronavirus spread rate is deciphered as the number of cases per 100 thousand population. To move into the red zone, according to WHO, it is enough for this number to be above 40.

According to experts, the situation in Europe continues to worsen. This means that very soon other countries will be on the list: Romania and Austria are next. Ukraine is not yet among the most infected countries. It is located in the green zone. Russia also holds its position for now.

Features of the “red zone”

“Red Prison” is an evaluative term that, although used in world practice, is more typical of the vocabulary of prisoners.
What does it mean? The “Red Zone” is a prison in which absolutely everything must comply with modern legislation.

Here, all questions or problems of prisoners are resolved by the administration of the colony, therefore, as a rule, in the “red zone” for all prisoners the highest authority is held by none other than the administration of the colony.

Even complaints from convicts, and complaints still tend to leak through the walls of the colony, and then first of all they pass through its administration.

The administrations of such prisons, for their part, can simply ignore the numerous complaints and petitions of their prisoners.

In fact, the term “red zone” means such a use of legislative norms in relation to the detention of prisoners, which is characterized by special meticulousness, severity and even intrusiveness.

Practice shows that prisoners in the “red zone” suffer more from the nagging of the institution’s administration itself than from the punishment to which the court sentenced them.

The concept of “red zone” is unofficial, it does not have a strictly defined definition, however, in practice, the “red zone” is characterized by the following number of features, each of which can occur in such prisons:

strictness in the execution by convicts of all norms not only of internal orders of the prison administration, but also of other correctional codes;
prisoners do not have the right to violate any instructions from the camp authorities regarding their appearance, as well as the condition of their clothing;
Each convict must strictly adhere to certain rules in construction, going to work assignments, and also unquestioningly follow the established daily routine.

In the “red zone”, a prisoner will be subject to extremely harsh punishment for even the slightest violation of order or act of insubordination.

As a rule, disobedient people face:

ban on dating;
deprivation of your legal right to receive transfers;
placement in a punishment cell (punishment cell);
seclusion in a PKT (cell-type room) for a period of up to six months;
changing the regime of detention of a convicted person;
and even an increase in the sentence.

All of the above methods of punishment are permitted under modern legislation.
How, then, are the “red zones” different? In such places, punishments differ in their purpose. Thus, the administration of such an institution, having decided to cruelly punish someone, is not guided by the intention of correcting the wrong behavior of the convicted person. On the contrary, the authorities of the “red zones” want to break the personality of the rebellious, which is no secret for the prisoners.

It is well known that in every prison such activists (convicts who are assistants to the administration) are despised. Despite the fact that the employees humiliate them, this does not prevent them from selfishly using them in their own interests, namely, to control any processes taking place in the prisoners’ cells.

Moreover, activists are not at all above carrying out extremely humiliating tasks from the administration, which most convicts will not do.

Therefore, if the authorities want to introduce the “red movement”, then in such institutions the managers of the household, those responsible for discipline and other “wool” lose all fear and shame (“wool” are convicts who report any information to the authorities).

In “red zones,” jailers do not issue a warning or a stern reprimand to a prisoner who has stumbled . If it comes to violating the order, then in such camps they are punished almost immediately, despite the fact that the punishment is constantly increasing, regardless of the degree of seriousness of the offender’s offense.

Therefore, prisoners in such prisons live in constant fear of being put on trial for disobedience, the imposition of an additional term of arrest, or a change in the regime of their detention.

Red zone. Information review.

Start: 1. The road to the women's area

On many sites you can find information about black and red men's zones.

The women's area is no different. Let me remind you that a zone is an isolated territory in which convicts serve their sentences. The zone is a correctional colony (IK).

I won’t talk about the black women’s zone, because I wasn’t there, and what I heard, like “by hearsay,” is nothing interesting to write about.

Red zone - perhaps someone thinks that the “reds” sit in such zones, i.e. those who in prison are considered “BS-niks” or collaborators with the jailers.

No, that's not true. The red zone is a colony where all prisoners are subject to the administration's regime. That is, the “dubaki” and overseers rule the roost.

Among those “correcting in the red zone” you can find not only drug addicts, murderers, political and business women, but also women ministers and other government representatives.

Special zones have been allocated for former women judges, prosecutors, investigators and the like. What color is their regime there? It’s still closed “behind seven locks.” But I think if they had a bad time there, the press would have been buzzing about it long ago.

But now we are talking about the red women's zone for ordinary first-time convicts.

Upon the arrival of the prisoners in the colony, a senior operative or a representative of the head of the zone immediately announces a red regime in the zone. At the distribution station of the zone, before entering quarantine, the operator offers to voluntarily hand over prohibited items without committing a violation, which may affect parole. It is immediately proposed to cooperate with the administration. Separately, “processing for snitching” will involve verbal pressure alone in the quarantine block.

I don’t understand why they are campaigning for snitching. Because the entire zone is stuffed with video and audio tracking. And the zone administration knows absolutely everything.

All red zones belong to the highest category of penitentiary institutions. In such zones, the convicts themselves are afraid to enter into conflict, so that this does not affect their parole. Because it is through parole that the red regime is maintained.

In the red zone it is very difficult to “just negotiate” or buy parole. No, of course, if the convict is “well warmed from the outside,” then she will not be able to afford donations for repairs or purchasing anything for the zone detachment.

The main success of obtaining parole is cooperation with the zone administration. I cannot say what exactly the “cooperation” is, because I myself did not intend to go on parole, so I did not have “intimate conversations” on this topic with the zone administration. I won’t pass on rumors and gossip. The main “successes on parole” are officially selfless sewing work, participation in amateur performances and other competitions in the zone. And the main thing is that there are no prison cells, punishment cells in the zone and other violations of temporary temporary accommodation.

About the criminal hierarchy in the red zone: “Pologenok and Smotryag” - no.

Of the criminals, two are in charge of the detachments: a day worker and a night guard in the barracks. A foreman from the factory can also join them, but she only has power in the factory itself. Of course, the day-night staff listens to the opinion of the foreman on some issues and does not contradict her, because they understand that they all directly cooperate with the zone administration and do not want to lose “warm places”. Each of these three convicts receives an official salary, which even many outsiders can envy.

You can read about everyday life, intrigues and love passions in the red zone in the “Zone” section of the website.

Continuation: 3. The composition of the prisoners transferred. ; 4. Red zone station or IK checkpoint.

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What is the difference between the “red zone” and the “black”?

“Red zone” and “black” are rather an informal name, for those knowledgeable in the criminal world and among the “cops”.
The “Red Zone” is a colony in which the prison authorities rule the roost, using for their own purposes prisoners who are ready to cooperate with the administration, sometimes on their own initiative or taken on a hook.

“Black zones” include institutions where the main thing is the “thieves’ law”, with their own established rules, rituals and traditions.

There is also the so-called position of overseer, as a rule, with the tacit approval of the colony administration - this is a special caste of managers in the zone.

What is also typical for the “red zones” are certain regimes for keeping prisoners. They always have:

punishment cell or punishment cell;
separate common barracks;
quarantine - you enter it immediately upon arrival or in case of suspected disease.

“Black zones” are a peculiar product of the unstable financial situation in the state, when institutions of this kind are practically not funded or are sent to survive.
Living conditions in such colonies are understandably terrible, sanitary standards are low, there is practically no medical care, and the food is very poor.

Taking into account such factors, the leadership of the colony is forced to turn a blind eye to the fact that prisoners themselves solve most everyday problems. In fact, this is how they have a chance to survive.

In the “black” colony, prisoners live under the laws of thieves, and to cooperate with the administration and work is not according to concepts, that is, it is not accepted, and even punishable.

There is a rare guest of renovation and well-kept premises. This is a special habitat where the fittest survive.

In the “red” zones, all new arrivals are required to give written consent that they renounce the concept of thieves. So the authorities are trying to re-educate the convicts from the very beginning and force them to cooperate.

What are the “red” zones known for?

In the “red” zones, the officially established routine is stricter, which sometimes concerns the smallest details of the life of prisoners. Sometimes in such colonies, prisoners are quite hungry if they do not work, since the “warmth” from outside is limited here, but for those who want to earn extra money in the “red” zones, some kind of mini-enterprises, workshops, etc. are often functioning.

But here there are rare cases of lawlessness and reprisals among inmates - if the administration of the colony does not allow much arbitrariness, then imprisonment in such zones today can be called safer.

And a couple more options

There is such a variety of zones as “radish zones” - those where formally the administration is at the helm, but in fact “activists” operate. And these “activists” can allow themselves much more than employees personally - for example, beating newly admitted prisoners in order to confess to crimes that were not included in the official charge, committing lynchings against prisoners, etc.

It is interesting that in recent decades (around the period of the second Chechen campaign), a new type of zone - “green” - began to appear. This is what they began to call those colonies where Muslim prisoners (usually immigrants from Central Asia and the Caucasus) took power. Their prison communities are called jamaats.

Where are the “red zones” in Russia?

Is there a list of red zones in Russia?
Recently, it is rare to see the “red zone” in its pure form. Experts say that now it can be said that almost all prisons have become “red”. Why? The fact is that the Federal Penitentiary Service is increasingly insisting that every convict strictly fulfill all the duties and rules established by the prison administration.

In addition, the division into “red” and “black” zones is no longer as relevant as it was before, and the very boundaries that distinguish one suit from another have long been erased. A feature of this figurative division is the method of management of prisoners by the camp authorities.

In the first case, the administration itself controls everything, and in the other, they use the help of a criminal authority chosen directly by the convicts themselves.

If we talk about the history of the famous “red zones”, then it is worth mentioning the famous colony in Belgorod in the early 2000s.

What she became famous for:

The permissiveness of the jailers was absolutely unpunished - they actively used both physical and psychological measures of influence on prisoners.

Convicts were unable to obtain justice because they were not allowed to file a complaint or request a meeting with the prosecutor.

Prisoners were taken out on work assignments, for walks, and to the canteen strictly in accordance with the regulations and under the close attention of the guards and guard dogs.

Convicts were strictly forbidden to communicate between cells.

Inappropriate statements were immediately punished either by numerous beatings with batons, or even by unleashing the dogs.

Red zone

The site of the penal colony-settlement No. 42, located in the village of Sindor, Knyazhpogost district, is an area of particular interest. Former law enforcement officers, courts, prosecutors, and people who served in the past in the internal and border troops serve their sentences here. Most of the convicts were brought here due to traffic violations that resulted in grave consequences. A Respublika journalist found out how former law enforcement officers live, who, by the will of fate, found themselves “on the other side” of the barbed wire.

Almost like being in the army

The zone where former law enforcement officers serve their sentences is sometimes called the red zone. The convicts themselves here take a more responsible approach to complying with internal regulations, and violation of the regime is a rare occurrence.

– These are people with a high degree of socialization. Almost all of them have families waiting for them at home, so they are interested in being released as quickly as possible,” says Evgeniy Ermakov, head of the department of educational work with convicts. – Of course, many of them were accustomed to completely different living conditions, to a different attitude, and it was not easy for them to accept themselves in the status of a convict, but they managed, because compliance with all established requirements is the shortest way home.

Evgeny Ermakov does not deny that, although rarely, among former law enforcement officers there are citizens with a violent disposition who are prone to committing violations. Malicious violators are sent to correctional institutions with a much stricter regime of detention - for example, in a general regime colony, where the requirements are much stricter. And the conditions in the colony-settlement remind the men of their time in the army - the convicts themselves have said this more than once. Everyone with whom I had a chance to talk noted that to those who lived in the barracks, life in a colony-settlement would seem familiar.

“Yes, according to the court verdict that has entered into legal force, these people are criminals, but in our colony, mostly convicts who committed crimes through negligence are serving their sentences,” explained Yevgeny Ermakov. – If we talk about people convicted of traffic accidents, what is important here is, first of all, the state in which the person got behind the wheel. Any motorist controls a source of increased danger, and misfortune can happen to anyone who gets behind the wheel. And every violator of traffic rules can become a potential criminal.

Evgeny Ermakov noted that he is sometimes amazed when he gets acquainted with the personal files of convicts: folders are bursting at the seams with copies of award sheets, information about incentives, and positive characteristics. Nevertheless, men who showed heroism in hot spots, fought crime, saved people in fires and emergency zones, lost their freedom, careers and acquired the status of a convict, often simply due to inattention.

A second is an eternity

“This is our life: you can’t renounce the scrip and prison,” convict Vladislav notes philosophically in a conversation with a journalist. “I couldn’t even imagine that I would ever end up in a colony.” I did not lead such a lifestyle that there would be anything to judge me for. Everything changed by chance, which I still can’t even understand myself.

A native of Perm, Vladislav said that during his life he changed many professions, at one time he even worked in the Ministry of Emergency Situations - as a chief of guard at a fire department. Because of this entry in the work book, I ended up in a settlement colony for former employees. Although his last position at large was as a shuttle bus driver.

Dry lines from a summary of road accidents: “On January 21, 2022, in Perm on Pushkin Street, a 43-year-old MAN bus driver did not give way to a 44-year-old woman who was crossing the roadway to a tram stop, after which he crashed into a MAZ bus standing at the stop.”

The pedestrian got off the stopped tram and walked towards the sidewalk. The bus hit a woman and literally pushed her into another bus.

According to Vladislav, he was driving a bus and was driving away from a stop when a tram stopped ahead. Suddenly a woman appeared on the road. The bus driver suddenly braked. And at that moment, time stopped for Vladislav: as if in slow motion, he saw how the woman turned to him, how her eyes widened in horror. It seemed like an eternity had passed, but in reality it was just seconds.

“When the bus was about a meter from the woman, its speed was six kilometers per hour,” recalls Vladislav. – But I already understood that the bus would not have time to stop. After the collision, he immediately backed up, ran up to the woman, wanted to give her first aid, but she received such serious injuries that even touching her was dangerous - it could only make things worse.

In order to at least somehow support the victim before the ambulance arrived, the bus driver spoke to her, thinking he was calming her down and encouraging her. Although he still did not understand whether she heard him: the woman’s eyes were open, but she did not react to what was happening around her. Vladislav understood that the victim was very seriously injured, but until the last he hoped that the doctors would be able to save the woman. But she died from her injuries in the hospital.

“I can’t even describe how morally difficult it is to understand that a person died through your fault,” Vladislav says about his condition. – Yes, I knew that there would be a trial, but even before that I judged myself, I replayed the situation in my head a hundred times a day, thinking about how it could have been prevented. Unfortunately, time cannot be turned back, but I would give anything to go back and change everything.

Vladislav said that he tried to contact the relatives of the deceased and offer at least some compensation for the harm caused.

“They didn’t want to talk to me and refused compensation,” the convict said bitterly.

And it was clear that he somewhat understood these people; perhaps in such a situation he himself would not have wanted to meet with the culprit of the accident and take money from him. According to Vladislav, the victim’s relatives filed a civil lawsuit against the company where he worked.

The court found Vladislav guilty of violating traffic rules and, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, sentenced him to four years in prison in a penal colony. The convict arrived in Sindor about a month ago. Brief assessment of living conditions:

- Like in the army. You can live.

The convict admitted that constant memories of the accident and “thoughts” about how it could have been avoided weigh almost more than captivity. And this is also a punishment that he will now have to “serve” for many years.

In the meantime, liberation is far away. But Vladislav knows that his relatives are waiting at home and they need him. Therefore, he is already making plans for the future. Now he works as a laborer in the colony, and he agrees to any job even after his release.

“There is a lot of work that I can do, so I won’t be left idle,” said Vladislav. “But I still want to get back behind the wheel.” I am sure that what happened was just a tragic accident, and I want to believe that nothing like this will happen again. I've been driving for twenty-five years without an accident. And after this incident I will be even more careful. Maybe someone will learn to be careful on the road from my example: you can’t let your guard down for a moment while driving.

School of Life

Nikolai, a convict from the Udora district, is also confident that his tragic example can be useful for other drivers - that’s why he agreed to talk to the journalist. In terms of communication with the press, the rights of convicted persons are strictly observed. There is no “obligation”: in order for a journalist to ask questions, the interlocutor must give written consent to the conversation. If he doesn't want to, he can refuse. This is what some citizens, who did not want to remember the past, did.

“I have nothing to hide,” Nikolai waved his hand sadly. – Not only the entire Udora region, but the entire republic knows everything about me.

The road accident that happened on April 17, 2022 in the Udora district on the Koslan-Usogorsk highway is still remembered by many residents of the republic. More than forty people were injured. Let us remind you that two kilometers from the village of Koslan a Ural truck and a PAZ passenger bus collided. The Ural snow plow literally tore through the bus.

Nikolai was driving the truck. For him it was a normal work shift. I was driving along the road, clearing snow. Suddenly the snow plow caught soft ground. The Ural turned around and was literally thrown into the oncoming lane, along which the bus was traveling at that time. The driver of the PAZ died on the spot, the people in the car received injuries of varying degrees of severity.

Nikolai claims that he managed to pull himself together immediately after the accident - his army training took its toll. He himself was not injured, he jumped out of the cab and began to evacuate the bus passengers. The victims later said that the truck driver immediately rushed to help. Nikolai also checked whether the bus’s gas tank was broken and whether there was a threat of explosion.

The realization of what had happened came much later; the state that followed could only be called shock. Then it became known that a four-year-old girl received fatal injuries in the accident. During the conversation, Nikolai tried not to show his feelings, but it was clear that it was still difficult for him to remember this.

The convict said that both during the trial and during the investigation he admitted his guilt, although the road conditions and weather that day were not the best, which could also have played a role. In court, one of the witnesses even claimed that the car, equipped with a high-speed front blade, could have skidded due to the characteristics of the road surface. But the court came to the conclusion that the totality of all the evidence examined, including the expert’s opinion, directly indicates that it was the actions of the Ural driver that caused the accident. At the scene of the incident, deficiencies in the maintenance of the road were indeed identified, but, as the court noted, according to Russian traffic regulations, it was the driver of the vehicle who had to take into account, among other things, the prevailing road and meteorological conditions.

As follows from the verdict of the Udora District Court, it was Nikolai’s incorrectly chosen speed, without taking into account the entire complex of road and meteorological conditions, the condition of the vehicle and the presence of an attachment on it that has certain operating conditions, that caused damage to the asphalt surface of the roadway and a subsequent collision with by bus. The court charged the driver with the consequences of a traffic accident in the form of the death of two people and causing grievous harm to the health of six people. The court sentenced Nikolai to four and a half years of imprisonment in a penal colony.

Relatives of the victims and victims demanded compensation for the damage caused from the company where Nikolai worked. Since the Ural involved in the accident was owned by another company, the court decided to include the owner of the car as a co-defendant.

Since Nikolai served in the internal troops in the past, he went to serve his sentence in a colony settlement in Sindor. Here he works as an auxiliary worker in the transport workshop. He considers this period, like military service, to be a school of life - and one must go through it. In my thoughts, I also often return to the day when the accident occurred, and I would also be ready to change everything, but I can’t figure out how. To the point that I would not have gone on the flight if I had only imagined what would happen. But you can’t return the past; now Nikolai is trying to think about the future. Although the present makes itself felt: the wife complains that it is difficult to live without the support of her husband.

In the colony, Nikolai intends to undergo training and become a tower crane operator, since he lost not only his freedom, but also his profession. According to the court verdict, he will not be able to drive for three years after his release. But he doesn’t seem to be very keen on this yet. And he agreed to talk with the journalist in order to share his bitter experience with other drivers. According to Nikolai, you need to drive very carefully, not only follow the traffic rules, but also take into account the very condition of the road surface, take into account the technical condition of the car, your health, and weather conditions. The truths seem to be simple and known to all motorists, but for some reason many forget about all this - and then tragedies happen.

Policeman's mistake

Another convict from the colony-settlement, Dmitry, at the time of the accident, headed the criminal investigation department of the police of the city of Almetyevsk in Tatarstan. The young operative, who has solved many crimes, was predicted to have a brilliant career in the police. Everything was ruined by a fatal mistake on the road.

Dmitry said that while serving in the police, he ironically traveled a lot to the colonies, since he specialized in uncovering so-called telephone fraud committed by convicts. The scheme of these crimes is extremely simple. The attacker calls any phone numbers and shouts in a broken voice, for example: “I committed an accident!” Next, the interlocutor is convinced that his relative is calling, who was involved in an accident, so he needs money to “pay off” from criminal prosecution. Some citizens, who were taken by surprise by such calls, believed and, out of naivety, transferred money to the scammers.

Working to solve such crimes, Dmitry could not even imagine that he himself would have to say the phrase “I committed an accident” - under rather sad circumstances.

As follows from the court verdict, on February 3, 2022, from five to six o’clock in the morning, that is, in the dark, Dmitry, in a car with a registration plate belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, approached a dangerous section of the road where there is an unregulated pedestrian crossing , indicated by road signs that warn the driver of the obligation to give way to pedestrians. The driver “drove the vehicle at a speed that did not provide him with the ability to constantly control the movement of the vehicle to comply with traffic regulations, without taking into account the intensity of traffic and road conditions in the form of icing of the roadway.” When a pedestrian appeared on the roadway, the driver “was inattentive to the road situation and ensuring road safety, and did not promptly take possible measures to reduce the speed until the vehicle stopped.”

There is a video recording of this accident on the Internet, made by an outdoor video surveillance camera. It shows that the pedestrian was already approaching the sidewalk; he only had to take two steps. But then he was hit by a car traveling at high speed.

“The pedestrian received serious injuries, but, fortunately, he survived and is now generally relatively healthy,” said Dmitry.

The policeman himself explained that he was returning home after work that morning. I was tired, distracted by a phone call and did not notice the pedestrian. When I realized what had happened, I was confused, even though I had been in stressful situations due to my line of work. But this stress was too much even for him.

As a police officer, Dmitry quickly assessed the legal consequences of what happened. He described them in two words:

- Everything collapsed.

This road accident in Almetyevsk caused a wide public outcry: a high-ranking police officer hit a man, and the victim turned out to be a well-known businessman in the city, who in the past also served in the internal affairs bodies.

As the Almetyevsk media reported, the incident was immediately reported to Kazan, and the leadership of the republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs responded quickly: the offender was fired from service on the same day. In one moment, a career was destroyed, a job was lost, an investigation and a trial lay ahead. Although, as Dmitry emphasized, he was worried not only about his own fate, but also about the health of the victim, whom he knew personally - as a former colleague in the service. The culprit of the accident, according to him, compensated for the damage as best he could; police officers and friends of the entrepreneur collected money for the treatment of the victim; they collected more than two million rubles. The man underwent treatment abroad.

According to Dmitry, he still has a good relationship with the victim. In court, the entrepreneur even petitioned for the termination of the criminal case in connection with the reconciliation of the parties. But the court noted that the termination of a criminal case in connection with the reconciliation of the parties, as well as the decision to approve a settlement agreement, is a right and not an obligation of the court, and for a number of circumstances left the parties’ application to approve a settlement agreement without satisfaction. The court sentenced Dmitry to one and a half years of imprisonment in a penal colony; he was deprived of the right to drive vehicles for two years. After his release, he will no longer be able to return to the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a police officer - a criminal record has closed his path to service.

Dmitry worries not so much about the future as about the past. He is also sure that he would behave differently if it were possible to turn back time. Most likely, given my condition that morning, I would not have gotten behind the wheel at all. And if I had only one “second in the past” to make a decision, I would reduce the speed as much as possible before the pedestrian crossing. Then, perhaps, a talented operative would still serve in the Almetyevsk police. But you can't change a second of the past. Now Dmitry works as a cross-cutting operator in a colony-settlement: he prepares firewood.

Evgeny Ermakov.

Strict control

“We are trying to find employment for everyone,” Evgeny Ermakov explained to the publication. – Labor is one of the main components of the program for the correction of convicts. All of them, regardless of the position they held in the past, receive the profession of a general worker. On the site of the colony-settlement there is a vocational school where you can receive training in a number of working specialties. Convicts who have not received secondary education are educated at school. Those who wish can obtain higher education. We make every effort to provide them with this opportunity.

Convicts work mainly on the territory of the colony-settlement. They are engaged in deforestation, collecting firewood, and there is a sawmill on the territory. Also on the site of the colony-settlement there is a subsidiary farm where they grow vegetables and keep cows and pigs, so some of the convicts are engaged in agricultural work.

There are also those who work outside the colony-settlement - in freedom. However, this freedom is very relative. As Evgeny Ermakov explained, strict control is established over those who leave the colony-settlement for work, and checks are provided for them every two hours. And on the territory of the colony-settlement, constant control is also established over the convicts.

No matter how free and almost “homey” the atmosphere in a colony-settlement may seem to the casual observer, it is still life in conditions of imprisonment. And former law enforcement officers know this better than others, so they patiently endure the imposed restrictions. Convicts - people with different destinies, characters, sentences - have one most important desire: to return home as soon as possible and never return to prison.

Lyudmila VLASOVA

Photo by the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Republic of Kazakhstan

What it is?

A “red” prison is one in which the law rules. There is not the slightest deviation from state documents.
Everything is as per the instructions. It often happens that in the “red” zones, prisoners cooperate with prison employees. In such detention centers, the law is executed with meticulousness, which sometimes becomes more difficult for the prisoners than the punishment itself, because... for the slightest disobedience they will face very serious punishment from the jailers and other representatives of the prison authorities. The administration of the correctional institution does not see the limits of its power, so punishments often include isolation in solitary confinement, deprivation of any rights (they may be deprived of a walk, lunch, etc.), and sometimes beatings.

How is it different from “black”?

The prison administration establishes contacts with one of the authoritative representatives of the “prison suit” and cooperates with him in resolving many issues. Often, prisoners themselves choose the person who will be held accountable to them for the actions of the administration.

The second difference lies in the living conditions in prisons. As a rule, it is easier for prisoners to survive in “black” colonies, despite the fact that funding for such colonies is extremely limited. The rules of this type of prison allow prisoners very, very much. In the “red” zones, the administration makes sure that the prison has everything necessary: clothing, food, personal hygiene products, bed linen, towels, etc. That is. The standard of living in “red” zones is many times higher, but in general it is more difficult to live in such a PS.

Another difference is the attitude towards cooperation with the prison administration . Residents of the “black” zones do not accept (or even punish) those who make at least some kind of deal with the jailers, if they are not agreed upon with the “men,” while in the “red” prisoners simply have no choice: if the prison officer He said that you have to work for him, then you have to, otherwise severe punishment is guaranteed.

The main thing that distinguishes these types of prisons is order. In the “red” zones, there are no strikes, fights in cells, crimes, theft and violence, since these actions are punishable by law, and, accordingly, the prison administration will not turn a blind eye to this and impose punishment.

On the “blacks” this happens due to the fact that a large share of power is in the hands of the prisoners themselves, but they are also stopped by the forces of authoritative prisoners.

Words from one of the prisoners serving his sentence in the “red” zone:

“You can’t get drugs or alcohol here at all.” This is the first time I have seen such a zone. Previously, no matter where you sat, there were people who were able to get whatever their heart desired. And here... And, you know, this is good. At first it’s very difficult for many, but how many people here have “broken” and been saved from alcoholism and drug addiction. And this is very important. It saves.

I was in a zone that was considered “red”. But there the employees almost openly sold drugs. And many convicts began using in prison! Now I'm on my third trip. And the third zone. So, I think everything should be according to the law, and a prison should be a prison. Like here. Yes, it is difficult without many things, but who is to blame for this? It's your own fault. If you mess up, answer. The punishment must be strict, otherwise it is no longer a punishment, but an all-inclusive resort.

Be that as it may, according to the chairman of the Union of Prisoners of Russia Natalia Chernova, not everything is so rosy in the “red” zones. There is funding, but it goes far beyond what the prisoners need, because... the overall picture of the colonies is terrible. In her interview for Deutsche Welle, Natalia says:

“I have nothing against the very letter of the law, but the fact is that the Federal Penitentiary Service wants prisoners to fulfill exactly all their duties, despite the fact that the FSIN itself does not fulfill its duties in relation to prisoners. That is, yes, you can walk in formation, join different sections, do all this Sisyphean work that prisoners do in the zones.

But it’s impossible to do all this and live like this if you live in a cold, unheated barracks with a leaking roof that hasn’t been repaired for thirty years. And at the same time you are fed naked chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If they don’t allow you to hand over, if they take away all your free clothes, and the government clothes that they give you, it’s really pitiful and scary to look at.” In the “black” zones, she said, the prison administration turns a blind eye to some things in order to allow prisoners to survive.

Video review of the differences between a black prison and a red one:

Where are the prisons in the Russian Federation where “the law rules”?

One of the most famous “red” zones is the colony in the city of Belgorod, where at the beginning of the 2000s the power of the correctional institution administration crossed all boundaries:

The jailers abused prisoners for the slightest offense with absolute impunity, and used violence (both physical and psychological) to achieve complete submission.
Prisoners were not allowed to file complaints against the administration or meet with the prosecutor to resolve their problems. Strict prohibitions were imposed on these actions, backed up by threats of punishment.
The prisoners were accompanied to lunch, walks and work places by guards with dogs.
Communication was allowed only inside the cells. It was strictly forbidden to talk to prisoners from the next cell.
There was no freedom of speech. For any statement that a prison officer did not like, batons and dogs were used to punish them.

Read more about torture, abuse and violence in women's prisons here, and we wrote in more detail about the most terrible prisons in the Russian Federation in this material.

Corrective labor colony No. 13 in Engels is considered the “reddest” zone. Apart from the fact that unquestioning obedience to the instructions of the administration is required there, the life of prisoners is very decent. At the very beginning of the history of this correctional institution, the colony rebuilt buildings for various purposes: laundries, workshops, baths, a school for working youth and vocational school No. 189. Thus, the prisoners lived quite well, for which they were required to live according to the rules.

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What is the difference between “green”, “red” and “black” prisons

Russian correctional institutions, in addition to the official division into pre-trial detention centers, settlement colonies and general and strict regime colonies, also differ in color. The informal division into “red”, “black” and “green” prisons occurs according to who actually holds power in them.

“Red” and “black” zones have existed in Russia for a long time. But the “green” ones appeared relatively recently. So how do all these prisons differ from each other?

Which zones and for what reasons became “red” or “black”?

In the era of early Stalinism, all camps were essentially “red” - strict control of camp administrations was ubiquitous. But the situation was turned around by the “bitch wars” of the forties and sixties: where the “bitches” took power, the zone became “red”, and where the “thieves in law” ruled, it became “black”.

There were colonies that throughout their history changed their “color”: either the administration began to harshly suppress the arbitrariness of the inmates, or the prisoners, under the leadership of the “thieves,” staged riots...

In general, for a long time the following pattern was observed: “black” zones more often became near large cities (or if the prison territory was within the city). If the city had an authoritative “supervisor” and a close-knit criminal community, then the places of deprivation of liberty became subordinate to him.

In cities, it is easier to maintain a “back door” - “warmth” from free criminal elements is transferred to prisons, drugs and alcohol are traded (illegal, of course), money received from prisoners goes to the thieves’ “common fund”, etc. Moreover , in cities it is easier for criminals to organize pressure on pre-trial detention center employees, who live in these same cities with their families and, accordingly, cannot always guarantee their personal safety.

The situation with remote colonies looks different. Located at a considerable distance from populated areas, sometimes in harsh natural conditions (for example, in the northern part of Russia), these colonies are not at all suitable for connections with the outside world, and it is technically very problematic to organize a “back door” there.

In addition, in conditions of remoteness from cities, riots and all kinds of sabotage are much more dangerous for the prisoners themselves, even authoritative ones - the administrations of the colonies take more stringent measures to suppress such actions, and every prisoner understands that the courts and lawyers are also far away - to prove facts of abuse of power, etc. ... precedents by the colony administration are very problematic. Therefore, most of these colonies are “red”. Historically, in the harsh “red” colonies, more brutal pressure was put on the “thieves in law” - some of these colonies are famous for a large number of “decorations”.

There were (and still are) prisons and colonies that a priori can only be “purely red”: these are special correctional institutions for former employees of the law enforcement and judicial systems. All these people in ordinary zones (whether “red” or “black”) are considered a priori outcasts, “cop guys”.

They fall into the lowest caste of prisoners and for them there is always a danger of being killed - since the murder of a “cop”, even if he is serving an officially assigned sentence, is considered a highly encouraged act in the eyes of the “thieves”. So, for the safety of these people, from about the fifties, special prisons began to be built, where there were no thieves or “men” - only former police officers, traffic cops, judges, investigators, prosecutors and lawyers who had committed crimes.

The current Russian trend is a significant reduction in the number of classic “black” zones. But in contrast to this, the leadership of “red” colonies and prisons, on the contrary, is increasingly interacting with criminals, because they have their share of drug and alcohol trafficking or some other benefits.

Orders in the “red” zones

One of the biggest fears of “correct” criminals is ending up in a “red” colony. There, order and discipline are maintained by prisoners collaborating with the colony administration. For this they receive certain relaxations in the regime. In addition, inside the “red” prison itself there is also a division into sections. For example, prisoners are assigned to the law enforcement, sports, or hygiene and cleanliness sections. Failure to comply with section rules usually results in severe penalties.

In most “red” prisons, arbitrariness reigns on the part of the administration. The slightest offense - an untimely smoke break or a swear word during a round - and the prisoner can end up in a punishment cell. Or they will use other methods of punishment, including assault. They learn about all violations in the administration only from informers - “goats”. And even thieves in law who find themselves in the “red” zone cannot fight them. Here, unlike other prisons, they have no authority. Moreover, thieves in law are often transferred to “red” colonies in order to break their will. They are forced to break the thieves' code and work for the administration. Some agree to cooperate voluntarily, but many have to be broken long and hard.

In the “black” prisons of Russia, completely different laws reign. They are run by thieves in law.

What are the benefits of “black” zones?

The difference in order in the zones of the “red” and “black” types is obvious. “Black” zones are good for prisoners with relaxations in the regime and rules - you can wear different clothes, receive transmissions from outside more freely, use modern means of communication, sleep during the daytime, and much more. etc.

In some "black" zones there is even the possibility of obtaining drugs and alcohol - but not in all. The downside is that they must strictly adhere to the “concepts” and rules of the prison hierarchy, since in the event of conflicts, harsh thieves’ laws can work before the official ones.

"Correct" prisons

All criminals know that deviating from the laws of thieves faces a terrible retribution. Therefore, in the “black” colonies there is peace and grace for everyone who follows these laws. The authorities in power do everything possible to ensure that their “wards” have a good life. They establish a connection with the will, and for special merits they can even smuggle a cell phone into the zone. The administration turns a blind eye to prohibited things, alcohol and drugs in “black” prisons.

They also turn a blind eye to the fact that prisoners do not carry out the work assigned to them. For example, in the “black” zone, prisoners do not clean the area and refuse to wash their cells. However, this is a small price to pay for the fact that in the “black” colonies there are practically no murders or fights, unlike the “red” and “green” zones. Today there are fewer and fewer “black” prisons. But on the contrary, there have been more “greens” over the past few years. And the orders in them are somewhat different from the zones of other colors.

"Green" colonies

In “green” prisons, all power belongs to prisoners who profess Islam. Due to the instability of the situation in the Caucasus at the beginning of the 2000s, the proportion of Muslims in Russian prisons increased. Once in one colony, they unite and begin to demand special conditions for themselves. In addition, Islamic terrorists are spreading their radical views among other prisoners.

“Jamaats” - the leaders of Islamic groups formed in the prison refuse to cooperate with the prison administration. They do not recognize the Russian code of thieves and are guided by their own rules. However, Muslim prisoners still collect money for the common fund. They follow the rules of their faith relentlessly, and this often leads to conflicts with fellow prisoners and guards. At the same time, the “jamaats” will not listen to the imam who came to them with instructions from the outside. For them, only the advice of an imam who has served or is imprisoned in a “green” colony is valuable.

What are red zones? Newcomers in prison.

“This is the first time I’ve seen this”

Let's take the “red” zones first. There are institutions, as they say about them, “red as a fire engine.” There, the administration and the “activists” have all the power, but there is no lawlessness, only law and instructions. And there are institutions - “radishes,” as Comrade Stalin said about Mao Zedong. That is, “red” only on formal grounds. Inside there are others. In fact, there are drugs, beatings, and smuggling, but all the income goes not to the thieves, but to the administration.

First, let's talk about the truly “red” colonies. I was once on a business trip just like that. This is IK-7 - the most exemplary colony in the department of the St. Petersburg Federal Penitentiary Service. The order is not ostentatious, but real, you can feel it right away. Convicts do not hang around the territory of the zone, but go only for household needs, and always greet the officers (you don’t see this very often). There I talked with one convict who belonged to the “actives”. Here's what he said:

“It’s absolutely impossible to get drugs or alcohol here.” This is the first time I have seen such a zone. And, you know, that's good. It’s hard, of course, for many at first, but how many people here have “broken” and been saved from alcoholism. And this is very important.

I was in a zone that seemed to be considered “red”. But there the cops were almost openly selling drugs. And many convicts got hooked on it in the colony! Now I'm on my third trip. And the third zone. So, I think everything should be according to the law, and a prison should be a prison. Like here. Yes, it is difficult without some things here, but who is to blame for this? Only yourself. The punishment must be strict, otherwise it is no longer a punishment.

But it should be noted that there are very few such exemplary zones. It all depends on the personality of the “owner”. There are also honest people who, knowing full well the system in which they work, select people with loved ones and, most importantly, high moral principles.

But for now there are much more “radish” zones in Russia. And there the gods are cops and “activists.”

Indeed, “activists” often cause chaos in the zone. Sometimes on their own initiative, and sometimes by order of the administration. The thing is that the discipline and order section (SDP) usually recruits “closet” bandits from among the so-called “athletes”. They can’t stand thieves, and therefore they willingly become “activists.” At the same time, of course, they are not offended by force.

One convict told me: “In one of the zones where I was serving my sentence, the “goats” were real lawbreakers. And the administration turned a blind eye to their “pranks.” What were they doing? They created a kind of common fund. Only donations there were by no means voluntary. But the whole point of the common fund is different - to help each other in difficult times. The men were fleeced. All their dachas were taken away almost completely, and food from the prison stall too. I repeat, the leadership of the colony was happy with everything - there were no escapes, discipline was ironclad. Which means everything is fine. The goats were almost entirely brothers, they behaved accordingly, and, contrary to the rules, they wore tracksuits.”

Now there seems to be no official SDP. But unofficially they exist and sometimes continue to engage in outright lawlessness.

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Prison and life behind bars

All readers are familiar with such concepts as “red” or “black” prisons. In the first case, the administration and the “active” rule the show; in the second, it’s the beholder and the “blatota”. But, as you know, in this mortal world there is not only black and white, but there are shades. So in the case of prisons and colonies, everything is not so simple.

“This is the first time I’ve seen this”

"Red bandage common fund"

But for now there are much more “radish” zones in Russia. And there the gods are cops and “activists”. We talked about the latter with the famous performer of thieves' songs, Alexander Zvintsov, who himself tasted gruel at one time and has many acquaintances with prison experience.

Here's what he said:

— The prison is getting tougher. The nuts are tightened. The zones, as they say, “turn red.” Everything there is now decided by people in uniform. Previously, certain issues could be decided by the beholder, and he did it fairly. And now they are trying to break strong-willed people in prison and even deprive them of their health. The cops are pressing the “movement” with terrible force.

In one of my songs there is this line: “They took all the cops, you know, boys.” Look at the superior status of the cops, especially the security forces, cars, houses, and dachas. As for the “red bands”. Those who want an easy life, those who want power, those who want to humiliate other prisoners, hand out slaps on the head right and left, join the “actives”. My friend, singer Sasha Dyumin, has a line in one of his songs that I subscribe to: “Fetishist activists will all end up under the bunk!”

Now there seems to be no official SDP. But unofficially they exist and sometimes continue to engage in outright lawlessness.

How the hangers open

Here are several cases that occurred in different colonies of Russia in the “red” colonies. Convict Sergei S. says:

— In our zone, where I used to sit, goats met every stage

together with the colony staff and did their dirty work. For no reason during quarantine they beat prisoners with rubber batons. Once, in my presence, one guy was beaten so badly that all his ribs were broken. But the administration did not conduct any investigation. The entire zone lived in fear of the “goats.” They did nothing but swing the barbell and beat us.

Convict Oleg K. shares even more terrible things, but very characteristic of the “radish” zones:

— As you know, all camp operators must engage in investigative activities. That is, they stab prisoners to death. Such statistics help them collect stars for their epaulets. Prizes again. And that’s why they want to open the hanging at any cost.

But in order not to get their hands dirty, they entrust the stabbing to goats. And they try! Everything is done like this. After midnight, a newly arrived prisoner is taken into the premises of the detachment collective council (SKO) and begins to be beaten. Only then do they explain: write a statement about previously committed crimes. Negative answer? Then they hit again. For a long time. And with legs, and stools, and even rubber batons, which the cops supply the goats with for such events. Although this is illegal. They also put bags on the heads of the dull ones. The man almost died from suffocation. They also tried to beat off the kidneys so that the person would defecate blood. Finally, if all this barbarity still did not work, they threatened to lower it. And not symbolically, but as expected, on the British flag, in a circle. Naturally, the person eventually “remembered” some crime. It was usually customary to “remember” a burglary.

Now, as Alexander Zvintsov has already said, there is an active “reddening” of the zones (it all started in the late 1990s). And here activists are also indispensable for the administration. They are putting pressure on the criminal movement. The following story happened in one of our northern colonies the year before last. Several authoritative thieves were placed in a punishment cell. There, activists beat them until they lost consciousness every day. Within 15 days! One of the black walkers could not stand it and hanged himself. Actually, this is why so many riots, hunger strikes and autopsies have been happening in Russian special institutions in the last seven years. Protests, and they take place only in red prisons, are the only opportunity for prisoners tortured by activists to somehow attract attention to themselves.

Even in the “radish” zones, it is customary to extort money from relatives of convicts. In some red zones, those who are not paid for are beaten by the guards themselves. But usually it is activists who do this “work.” And they even have their own percentage of the cops. By the way, this “business” brings considerable income to its employees - werewolves.

There is also drug trafficking in some red zones. It is always on the black one, but on the red one - if the owner and godfather are nearby. This is generally serious money and a separate issue.

To summarize the topic, we can say that not every red zone is corruption and lawlessness, but we can also say that not every red colony is a model of order and respect for the rule of law. It depends on your luck. It all depends on the personality of the owner.

Evgeniy Kolesnikov Based on materials from the newspaper “Behind Bars” (No. 1, 2014)