The article deals with the legal basis and procedure for applying physical force, special means and firearms towards convicts on the example of Belarus, EU Member States and the USA. Attention is drawn to the need of using positive foreign experience in applying physical force, special means and firearms towards convicts in the process of reforming the Criminal and executive System of Ukraine.

It is noted that in recent years in Ukraine the normative base, which regulates the order of using physical force, special means and firearms by officials of penal institutions, has been completely updated. At the same time, it is noted that it still does not fully comply with European and world standards and needs further improvement. Therefore, it is important to study foreign experience, especially of the European Union Member States and the USA, in order to address the shortcomings and uncertainties of current criminal law.

It has been noted that in many foreign countries the applying of physical force, special means and firearms similar to the domestic one is applied to convicts. This is due to the need to respect convicts’ rights and freedoms as provided for in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the like. Foreign countries are united by the fact that the use of force and special means is exceptional, and the use of firearms is a last resort. What distinguishes the domestic practice of the using force against convicts is the fact that in European countries and the United States, the main reasons for using force and weapons are not convicts’ unlawful actions, in particular malicious disobedience, rampage, but the security of the life of the penitentiary institution, that is, the object of legal protection is more general. This should be taken into account when introducing amendments to the legal acts on the use in Ukraine of physical force, special tools and weapons to persons held in penitentiary institutions.

Key words: physical force, firearms, special means, basis for applying, penitentiary institutions, foreign countries.

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