Features of emotional intelligence among private and junior command staff of correctional institutions of Russian Federal Penitentiary Service

Introduction. In recent years, scientific interest in the study of emotional intelligence as a competence that allows a person to effectively assess and manage his/her own emotions and emotions of others, regulate social interaction and the emotional behavior of others has been constantly on the increase. Questions are raised about the importance of developing emotional intelligence along with a person’s intellectual abilities, including in the professional activities of the penal system personnel. In correctional institutions with a daily tense atmosphere and constantly increased concentration of attention, it is necessary for the personnel to be able to “read” the thoughts and actions of convicts, which is one of the conditions for the service. Private and junior command staff, especially those in educational apparatus of the correction facilities, constantly interact with convicts in their work. They must possess a high level of communication, highly developed emotional intelligence, identify and track down the emotions of different modality, establish contacts, apply the received information for reforming individuals deprived of liberty. The purpose is to study the features of the manifestation of emotional intelligence among private and junior command staff in correctional institutions of Russian Federal Penitentiary Service. Materials and Methods. The author employs a review and analytical method, which consists of a theoretical analysis of scientific resources on the research issues; an empirical method including the “Diagnostics of Emotional Intelligence” technique (N. Hall), as well as the analysis of primary statistics data, a nonparametric statistical test for comparing two independent samples, the Mann-Whitney U test. The basis of the study conducted in 2022 consisted of two correctional institutions of the Main Directorate of Russian Federal Penitentiary Service in Krasnoyarsk Krai. The study involved 30 private and junior command officers. Results and Discussion. Junior command staff have a higher level of development of emotional intelligence than private staff of correctional institutions of Russian Federal Penitentiary Service. The level of emotional intelligence has a different impact on the assessment of the professional performance of the penitentiary officers: the higher the level of development of emotional intelligence is, the more effectively they perform their job duties in a correctional institution. Junior command officers have a higher level of emotional intelligence, the ability to understand and control their own emotions, feelings, mood and respond to them, control, classify them into groups (sadness, joy, anxiety, etc.), experience mixed feelings (for example, to feel both love and irritation towards one and the same person). They are able to manage their emotions and build interpersonal relations based on understanding of emotions and ability to choose the reaction, which is the most effective in this situation. Conclusions. In general, emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to recognize, understand one’s own emotions and emotions of others, and to manage them in different circumstances. Emotional intelligence is considered as a means that contributes to the effectiveness of the professional activities of the penitentiary system personnel, without disturbing their emotional sphere. Junior command officers demonstrate a higher level of emotional intelligence than private staff of a correctional institution. These abilities ensure quick and timely recognition of verbal and non-verbal signals in the behavior of convicts, choose the right style of behavior and prevent a conflict situation. A sufficiently developed level of emotional intelligence enables representatives of junior command staff to provide relevant psychological support to colleagues, which reduces the risk of emotional burnout among officers in their professional activities.