Correctional Labor Colony

in the USSR a correctional labor institution in which persons are under detention who have been sentenced to deprivation of freedom and who have reached full legal age. The institution is defined by Article 11 of the Basic Principles of Correctional Labor Legislation. The correctional labor colony represents the most suitable form of institution to carry out sentences for this kind of punishment, since, in addition to the punishment involved, the correction and reeducation of the prisoners is most effectively achieved through their involvement in socially useful work.

Depending on the established system and categories of convicts confined in them, the colonies are divided into general, intensive, strict, or special colonies; there are also colony-settlements. The general colonies are used for persons sentenced to deprivation of freedom for lesser crimes committed for the first time; the intensive colonies are for persons sentenced to deprivation of freedom for serious crimes committed for the first time; the strict colonies are for persons convicted of especially dangerous crimes against the state or for those who previously served sentences in places of detention; and the special colonies are for dangerous recidivists whose death sentences were commuted to deprivation of freedom following an amnesty or pardon.

Women convicted to deprivation of freedom serve sentences in general or strict colonies. The latter are for dangerous recidivists, women convicted for especially dangerous crimes against the state, and women whose death sentences were commuted to the deprivation of freedom following an amnesty or pardon.