Regional government and prison in Shushenskoye

Of a special interest is the building of the volost (regional) government. A half of the building was occupied by the hall of justice court. The office of the head of the volost who was responsible for the administrative management of the district is opposite the court hall.

There you can visit a very interesting exposition devoted to the administrative arrangement of Siberian regions, as well as have a look at various court documents. Here are some punishments prescribed by the «Statute on Punishments Imposed by Justices of the Peace» (1897): an arrest for a period from 7 to 15 days or a corporal punishment for theft or fraud, as well as squander and hard drinking,  an arrest for a period from 1 to 3 months for an abuse of a policeman in the discharge of his duties, an arrest for up to 7 days or a fine of up to 25 roubles for quarrels or fights in public places and, finally, an imprisonment for 2 weeks for begging alms through laziness and idleness. 

The court judgments took effect immediately and the convicts were at once escorted to a prison, which was just behind the building of the volost government.

The prison is behind the fence of 6,5 meters high. This small building was erected in the 70th of 19 century. Four rooms are on both sides of the main corridor. One room was occupied by a chief prison guard and the other three rooms were used as prison cells. The latter had only sleeping-benches for furniture. All four rooms were heated by two tiled stoves.