The answer to the question "The principles of what legal phenomenon in penal sphere are worth studying and need to be enshrined in law?" is not a simple one. The proposed variations were: penal law, penal legislation, the activities of the bodies involved in execution of sentences, principles of penal regulation, penal policy etc. The analysis of the principles of such legal phenomena as penal law and penal legislation from the perspective of a comprehensive approach revealed their identical character with the principles of other branches of law and legislation since their principles show typical technical legal moments. All this lead to the search for a new legal category which will enable us to track all basic characteristics of formation and application of penal prescriptions and consider all considerable elements in the given sphere. Thus, all this requires the ascertainment and establishment of such a category (object, system) which can embrace (to a greater or lesser degree) all legal phenomena that are necessary for the analysis. In legal theory some researchers suggest considering as such: legal impact, legal regulation, the mechanism of legal regulation, legal system etc. The article deals with the above approaches and the author supports the position of those researchers who believe legal regulation to be a universal category. The main problems connected with legal regulation can be solved when all its characteristics, purposes, elements and system-based relations have been ascertained. Further, their application in the sphere of execution of sentences can be itemized. The article deals with a general system-based characteristic of legal regulation and with penal regulation, in particular.

Статья посвящена установлению универсального правового явления в уголовно-исполнительной сфере, принципы которого необходимо изучать и нормативно закреплять. В ней рассматриваются существующие в литературе подходы к выявлению подобной «собирательной» категории, наиболее полно отражающей сущностные стороны создания и реализации правовых предписаний, и предлагается в качестве таковой именно уголовно-исполнительное регулирование. Также автор дает общее системное описание данного явления и ставит вопрос о необходимости выявления его принципов.