CRIMINOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINALITY IN PRISON Ustinov Andrei Anatolyevich, PhD at Law, lieutenant-colonel of interior service. <...> Place of employment: Perm Institute of the Federal Penal Service. <...> E-mail: ustin33@mail.ru Titanov Mikhail Yurievich, major of interior service, adjunct. <...> Place of study: Academy of Law and Administration of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. <...> Place of employment: Training Centre of Penitentiary Service of Russia in Sverdlovsk region. <...> The article deals with studying criminological characteristics of penal crimes, analysis of statistical data on penal crimes in Sverdlovsk Region and in the Russian Federation in general. <...> Besides, the aims of the study are to analyse various definitions of the concept of penal crime and the main types of penal crimes. <...> In their study the authors apply the general philosophical dialectical method, the general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, and specific scientific criminological methods of interviewing and statistical analysis. <...> The authors argue that penal crime is a type of the most dangerous deviant activity in places of imprisonment. <...> The most important characteristics of a penal crime are its repeat character, its dependency on discipline in a particular penal institution, its highly latent nature, and its being highly dangerous for public security. <...> The most widespread penal crime is escape (Art. 313 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). <...> Such crimes as hooliganism, sexual abuse, illegal drug trafficking, etc. are the most widespread latent penal crimes. <...> The highest level of penal crimes is observed in correctional settlements. <...> Possibilities of further development of the study. <...> Factual data and conclusions drawn in this study might be used as a basis for further research of the problem of penal crimes including latent penal crimes. <...> Conclusions drawn in this study can be used for further elaboration of the system of countermeasures against penal crimes. <...> In particular, it may be useful for grounding some changes of criminal legislation, for elaboration of methodological recommendations on preventive measures against penal crimes. <...> In case of implementation of the results of the study in legal practice and everyday activity of penal ИИИЕА ААЕИИА ЕУИ В ЕА ИЕ <...>