SOVIET LEGISLATION ENACTED IN FEBRUARY OF 1977 PROVIDES FOR A NEW TYPE OF CORRECTIONAL-LABOR INSTITUTION--COLONY SETTLEMENTS FOR PERSONS WHO HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES OF NEGLIGENCE. SUCH COLONY SETTLEMENTS OPERATE UNDER MILDER RULES AND FEWER LIMITATIONS THAN OTHER CORRECTIONAL LABOR COLONIES. OFFENDERS ARE UNDER SUPERVISION BUT NOT UNDER GUARD; DURING THE DAY THEY ENJOY FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT THROUGHOUT COLONY TERRITORY. WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE ADMINISTRATION, CONVICTS MAY MOVE WITHOUT SUPERVISION OUTSIDE THE COLONY, BUT WITHIN THE BORDERS OF THE REGION, TERRITORY, AUTONOMOUS REPUBLIC, OR REPUBLIC OF THE UNION IF THIS MOVEMENT IS REQUIRED BY THE CONVICT'S WORK OR STUDIES. SHORT-TERM FURLOUGHS OF NO MORE THAN 7 DAYS ARE PERMITTED. CONVICTS WEAR CIVILIAN CLOTHES, ARE ALLOWED TO POSSESS MONEY AND VALUABLES, AND MAY HAVE UNLIMITED CONJUGAL VISITS; NO LIMITATIONS EXIST FOR THE NUMBER OF PACKAGES, MONEY ORDERS, AND PARCELS OF READING MATERIAL RECEIVED. PRISONERS MAY, WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE ADMINISTRATION, DWELL WITH THEIR FAMILIES WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE COLONY. THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ACQUIRE A HOUSE ON COLONY TERRITORY, AS WELL AS A PERSONAL GARDEN FARM. WAGES ARE RECEIVED FOR WORK PERFORMED, AND NO MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF EARNINGS MAY BE DEDUCTED FROM AN INMATE'S SALARY BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SIMILAR SETTLEMENTS ARE PROVIDED FOR OFFENDERS WHO HAVE SHOWN REHABILITATIVE PROGRESS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES OF MORE SEVERE REGIMEN. THE PRINCIPAL GOAL OF THE COLONY SETTLEMENTS IS TO PROVIDE SUPERVISED LIVING OF THE CHARACTER REQUIRED FOR A NONCRIMINAL EXISTENCE. (RCB)