Exile Colony

a type of corrective labor colony in the USSR. Exile colonies were created in the 1960’s. Those transferred to exile colonies by decision of a court are convicts from colonies with ordinary, special, and strict regimes who have made a solid start on the path of rehabilitation, after they have served not less than half of their sentence (if they can be paroled under the law) or not less than two-thirds of their sentence (if they cannot be paroled).

Convicts are maintained in an exile colony without guards, but under supervision. During the hours from rising time to bedtime they have the right to move freely throughout the colony’s premises and, with the administration’s permission, outside the colony, if this is necessary because of the character of their work or because of schooling. With the administration’s permission, convicts may reside on the colony’s premises with their families and set up personal households. Wages in exile colonies have been set commensurate with the wage rates of workers and office employees, with a downward coefficient of 20 percent; regardless of all withholdings, convicts are paid not less than 50 percent of their total earnings. Transfers to exile colonies are designed to reinforce the results of the reeducation of convicts and to create the necessary preconditions for their successful adaptation to normal living conditions.