The interaction of business with penitentiary institutions was discussed today at a working meeting of the Public Council chaired by the Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs in the Moscow Region Vladimir Golovnev. 

. The event was attended by Deputy Head of the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Moscow Region Lidiya Skvortsova, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Science of the Moscow Region Sergey Dvoynykh, Chairman of the Moscow Region "Support of Russia" Vladislav Korochkin, President of the regional Chamber of Commerce Denis Frenchov, Deputy Chairman of the regional branch "Business Russia" Roman Kharlanov, as well as representatives of enterprises.

The meeting participants discussed general issues related to the practical implementation of forced labor as a measure of criminal punishment. During the discussion, legal provisions, social and economic aspects of implementation, business participation in the formation of conditions for expanding the practice of applying penalties, as well as the main problems faced by employers and ways to solve them were considered.

As Lydia Skvortsova noted in her speech, according to the legislation, forced labor is assigned to citizens who have committed minor crimes. One of the important conditions is that the convicted person admits his guilt and repents, and when committing the crime he had no motive or malicious intent, the crime was committed thoughtlessly or committed carelessly. Forced labor is an alternative to imprisonment and is imposed for a period of 2 months to 5 years.

"Special correctional centers are being created to serve this type of punishment. The main difference from other correctional institutions of the penitentiary system is that the convicts who are there are not cut off from society and family, but at the same time serve the sentence imposed on them by the court, under the supervision of the staff of the penitentiary system," she stressed. - Currently, 10 units operating in the format of correctional centers are successfully functioning in the Moscow Region, in which convicts sentenced to forced labor who are residents of the Moscow Region are serving their sentences. The main areas of employment of convicts are sewing production, manufacture of cabinet furniture and agriculture. At the same time, local enterprises have an additional request for such workers."

She added that today the number of citizens who have reached the deadline for a possible appeal to the court to replace the unserved part of the punishment with forced labor is about 5 thousand people.

"The assistance of the business community to the implementation of the reform of criminal and penal enforcement legislation can contribute to the socialization of convicts, as well as eliminate the sectoral personnel shortage," said Vladimir Golovnev, Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs in the Moscow Region. – There is a shortage of employees in agriculture, construction and housing and communal services in the Moscow Region. Potentially, these people sentenced to forced labor can live and work at enterprises in the Moscow Region, thus having the opportunity to earn and repay the damage they have caused due to circumstances. This is a real opportunity for people to return to normal life, and for business – to fill the personnel deficit and provide enterprises with a full load."

The State also seeks to support enterprises that provide jobs to convicts. After all, the costs of creating a correctional center fall on the shoulders of business. According to the Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Science of the Moscow Region Sergey Dvoynykh, entrepreneurs can take advantage of two support measures. In particular, to receive a grant of up to 500 thousand rubles, subject to entry into the register of social enterprises, or to receive a subsidy of up to 2 million rubles to reimburse 85% of the costs incurred.