MOSCOW SCHOOL OF PRISON KEEPERS AS THE FIRST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR TRAINING OF PENITENTIARY STAFF IN RUSSIA

The topic of foundation and development of educational systems and the systems of professional training in particular is one of the most actual in modern historical pedagogical literature. The histories of departmental education and professional staff training have its own independent status in such research. For a long time penitentiary problematic in our motherland, including its historical legacy had been a “closed” topic, concerning the National Security Information, and, therefore, had rarely been researched. Materials of the scientific article from the substantial basis of the theory and history of preparing penitentiary staff courses, in the genesis of penitentiary education, on different historical steps of professional training. While researching the national system of penitentiary staff training, it is necessary to concern the educational traditions of the second half of XIX – the beginning of XX c.c.  The Moscow school of prison keepers was founded by communal educational principle, providing interrelation of government and social involving into the educational process. The most important point was the foundation of professional competence of penitentiary staff by combining theoretical training with passing the examinations and work experience on practical appliance of the received knowledge and skills in penitentiary institutions. In spite of insignificant quantity of unskilled specialists, the Moscow school of prison keepers (1899 – 1910) may be rightfully regarded as the first educational institution of the national penitentiary department.