The Institution of Punishment as Viewed by the Russian People (Based on an Analysis of Proverbs and Sayings as a Common Law Source)

The article, based on the analysis of proverbs and sayings as sources of customary law, reveals the ideas of the Russian people about the system of punishment that existed in Russia in the XI–XVII centuries. Proverbs and sayings allow us to identify the most common types of punishments reflected in the consciousness of the people, as well as some norms of criminal law concerning punishments in the aggregate of crimes, surrender, pardon, recidivism of crimes, concealment of crimes concerning the proportionality of punishment to the crime committed, the purposes of punishment, and others, as well as to identify the reasons why a person the person who committed the crime, according to the ideas of the Russian people, is not subject to punishment.