Psychology behind bars. How the psychological assistance of the FSIN arranges

In the very center of the city opposite the Yekaterinburg Arena stadium, there is one of the oldest penitentiary institutions in Russia, built in the first half of the 19th century. Before the World Cup in 2018, the investigative insulator No. 1 additionally strengthened the regime and carried out the overhaul of the facade.

“Meshs” - small square windows for issuing food and communicating with convicts - are in the kartser almost at the floor level. During the next bypass of the employees, the “feeder” opened - through it only the legs of the FSIN officer were visible.

- Do you need psychological help?

“I see only your legs.” Who is talking to me?

- Ah, these are Sokolov. He refuses to work with a psychologist.

“Of course, I wrote a complaint about this. How is it - I refuse? I did not express my refusal either verbally or in writing. Moreover, a person did not see me, he simply showed me his feet, ”recalls this episode, human rights activist Alexei Sokolov, who had been in the Yekaterinburg pre-1 Yekaterinburg premium in a criminal case of a re-demonstration of prohibited symbols. The reason was the Facebook logo on the website of the “human rights activists of the Urals”.

According to Sokolov’s memoirs, psychologists of the institutions came to cameras every day. It was impossible to distinguish them from other employees. Most often they wore a camouflage form of the FSIN.

“The psychologist came, asked what prisoners have psychological problems. Through the same “feeder”, she could work with people - to find out the psychological state, to conduct tests, ”says Alexei.