Red, Black, and Green Zones: Power and Hierarchy in Russian Prisons
Red, Black, and Green Zones
The Russian prison system is traditionally divided into two main types of zones: red and black. In red zones, inmate self-governance is virtually nonexistent—administration holds strict and direct control. In contrast, black zones are governed either through a power-sharing arrangement between inmates and prison authorities, or by an internal criminal hierarchy led by vory v zakone (thieves-in-law) and other criminal authorities. While the boundaries between these classifications can shift over time, they remain a fundamental structure for understanding how power flows both among inmates and between inmates and staff.
Black Zones: The Criminal Order
In black zones, cooperation with the administration exists but is mediated through complex, often informal agreements. The flow of information is tightly controlled by blatnye (career criminals) and criminal authorities. These zones operate according to ponyatiya—an unwritten code of honor that defines acceptable behavior, conflict resolution, and status.
Red Zones: The Administrative Regime
In red zones, the administration exerts full control. While criminal hierarchies may still exist, the average inmate—known as a muzhik—is expected to comply with prison authorities, often through written agreements. Cooperation is reinforced by a system of privileges and ritualized order among those known as kumovskiye—prisoners who work closely with or report to the administration. They maintain both physical and symbolic distance from the general prison population to protect their “clean” status and are often perceived as untouchable in terms of prison culture.
Access to better work assignments or the ability to avoid labor altogether often depends on negotiations with brigadiers (inmate supervisors) or smotryashchie (representatives of the administration inside the inmate population). These negotiations often involve bribes—cigarettes, tea, sweets, or other items of value. Those who live in red sections are typically separated from the general population, which offers some protection but also signals a break from traditional inmate solidarity.
Green Zones: The New Isolation
In recent years, a third type of prison has emerged—green zones. These are facilities or units specifically designed to house Muslim inmates separately from others. While these zones are still rare, and detailed information is limited, their existence reflects a shift in how religious and ethnic groups are managed within the Russian penal system.
The status of any prison can change over time, often depending on shifts in local administration or broader changes in the Russian penitentiary system.