Criminological analysis of criminal radicalism state among convicts in penal institutions

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the criminal radicalism state among prisoners in penal institutions. The purpose of the article is to formulate a theoretical model of the criminal radicalism state among prisoners in penal institutions. It has been found that criminal radicalism is a manifestation of radical, violent influence on the components of the punishment environment, prohibited by the law on criminal liability, with the aim of fundamentally changing them. Criminal radicalism among convicts is represented by a block structure, which provides for unequal criminal law content and limits of relevant antisocial practices. Endogenous and exogenous criminal radicalism in penal institutions has been identified and characterized. The annual level of endogenous criminal radicalism among convicts in penal institutions is 32 crimes, 87.5 % of which are criminal offenses provided for in Art. 255-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, 9.4 % are intentional murders, 3.1 % are intentional grievous bodily harm. In the structure of general crime among prisoners (annual averaged indicator), the share of endogenous criminal radicalism is about 6 %. In 2021, the level of exogenous criminal radicalism amounted to 143 criminal offenses, which is 27.7 % of the total crime in penitentiary institutions. The average annual value of the relevant indicators in 2016–2021 was 134 criminal offenses, and the average share in the structure of crime in penal institutions was 29.5 %. The aggregate indicators of exogenous and endogenous criminal radicalism, i.e. criminal radicalism among prisoners in general, show the following picture: the average annual level is 142 criminal offenses, the share in the structure of crime among prisoners is 29 %, but without taking into account the latency factor. Taking into account the latent part of crime in penitentiary institutions, especially drug-related crimes, violent sex crimes, criminal offenses against health and property, the real share of criminal radicalism among prisoners is about 10 %. There is a tendency for positive growth.