Some aspects of the activities of correctional labor institutions of Krasnoyarsk Krai during the Great Patriotic War

The aim of this article is to examine various aspects of life of correctional labor institutions of the region during the Great Patriotic War. The source base of the research is documents from the State Archive of Krasnoyarsk Krai, scientific articles introduced into scientific circulation and published for the first time and monographs. At the beginning of the war the release of prisoners convicted of "counterrevolutionary crimes", banditry and other serious crimes and those having served the sentence was suspended. Those convicted for minor acts were released early, in the autumn of 1941, to replenish the army. By the beginning of March 1942, out of 24,863 people serving their sentences 6,339 people or 25.4 % were released from prison in the region. 2,905 people, 45.8% of the number of the released, were assigned to the military registration and enlistment office. A significant number of the civilian staff of camps and colonies, especially guards who enjoyed the right of deferment from the draft, were also mobilized. 25% of privates and sergeants of the reserve of the Red Army working in the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs were subject to the draft, but the number of mobilized employees of correctional labor institutions was much larger, as many of them went to the front voluntarily. Thus, in the second half of 1941, 1,397 people went to the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army from the institutions of Kraslag, which amounted to about 40% of the total staff of civilian workers and employees of this correctional labor facility, including 706 security officers, or 50% of the staff of the Paramilitary Security Service. For those in prison the detention regime was tightened; their food and manufactured goods supply worsened significantly. Moreover, the working day for those in prison was increased up to 12 hours, days off were given not more than twice a month; when fulfilling defense tasks, days off were cancelled at all. All this led to the depletion of people serving sentences, their growing morbidity and mortality. In March 1942, three health and prevention centers were organized in the region to restore the strength and health of prisoners. In extremely severe conditions the camp economy switched to the production of goods necessary for the acting army. The camps and colonies of the region started producing ammunition and wooden containers for it (specialized empties). The production of defense products was constantly behind the schedule. Difficulties with the implementation of tasks for timber logging arose as well. The correctional labor facility of the region was much more successful in agricultural production ranking third in the socialist competition in the system of the USSR People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs in 1942. The author comes to a conclusion that fewer calories consumed by prisoners in the war time and a significant increase in their workload were the reason for the failure of state plans, exhaustion of prisoners, increase of their morbidity.

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