Abstract: The subject of this research is the concept of criminal repression and the modern approaches of theoreticians, practicians, and citizens of the country towards its content. The author underlines the fact that the opinion formed in the Russian society about criminality and its main indexes does not depend upon the objective state of law and order within the country. This article presents a critical assessment of a number of legislative initiatives, resulting in criminalization of new acts or increase in severity of the punishment for the existing elements of crime. The author makes a conclusion that criminal repression must be based on the knowledge of active laws, consider the scales of criminal activity, and be constructed upon a unified concept of criminal policy. The author proposes research on the practice of application of norms introduced into criminal legislation in order to determine their effectiveness and criminological validity.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the concept of criminal repression and the modern approaches of theoreticians, practicians, and citizens of the country towards its content. The author underlines the fact that the opinion formed in the Russian society about criminality and its main indexes does not depend upon the objective state of law and order within the country. This article presents a critical assessment of a number of legislative initiatives, resulting in criminalization of new acts or increase in severity of the punishment for the existing elements of crime. The author makes a conclusion that criminal repression must be based on the knowledge of active laws, consider the scales of criminal activity, and be constructed upon a unified concept of criminal policy. The author proposes research on the practice of application of norms introduced into criminal legislation in order to determine their effectiveness and criminological validity.