ABSTRACT
There is no ideal type of penal society. The prison has a public security mission, which results in separating the criminal population from the rest of society, by placing the former under surveillance. The Russia penal system is based on the principle of imprisonment in groups. Contrary to what is found in Western countries, imprisonment in cells has never played a major role in Russia. The parameters of the Russian penal society imply the existence of a 'large' society. Russia and Kazakhstan, the other post-Soviet country are among the most punitive countries. The cast system has a long history in Russian systems. Illicit categories existed in Russian prisons well before the October Revolution of 1917. The asmadei are the Russian equivalent of the 'merchants': they try to transform everything they get a hand on into merchandise.
