Methodology in the Criminal Sociology of M.N. Gernet

M.N. Gernet’s methodology of criminal sociology is analyzed by studying his biggest and most well-known works of 1920s. The author proves the relevance of this very period in the legacy of the «father» and one of the organizers of Soviet criminology. The author also draws conclusions regarding the organizational specifics of research conducted by M.N. Gernet during the «golden age» of Russian criminology. Attention is paid to the commonalities in the assessments of the condition of Russian criminology given by M.N. Gernet in the 1920s, and the assessments of the some features of modern Russian criminology in the works of leading criminologists of the country. Specifically, when talking about the present, it is extremely important to look back at the past and use a wide research context, including the works of leading contemporary criminologists with a focus on the methodological basis of their research. On the one hand, statistical research plays an important role, while on the other — it is evidently insufficient for studying the «living soul» of an incarcerated person. The necessity of combining questionnaires with one-on-one interviews and establishing trust with respondents, who the researchers could learn from, is stated. The author emphasizes such new research methods as sociological expertise and continued observation, which raise the research topic of studying the language of convicts. At the same time, attention is focused on what, in terms of modern science, is called research triangulation. It refers to the attention that M.N. Gernet paid to the research team which often included not only researchers, officials, court and prison employees bringing their own vision into the research process, but also students — future researchers and practitioners of law. It is suggested that the study of M.N. Gernet’s legacy by future lawyers will strengthen their research training.