The concept of "thieves in law" arose in Russia and has no analogues in the criminal practice of other countries of the world. This criminal community appeared in the USSR in the 30s of the XX century. It has developed a clear code of internal rules, a kind of criminal "code of honor."
The so-called "thieves in law" appeared during the years of Stalin's repressions. Of course, the criminals did not have any political motives, cooperating in the famous community. However, the motive for this consolidation was still relevant to the authorities. Thieves in law believed that they should in every way counteract it and show demonstrative disobedience.
At first, members of the community strictly voted on unwritten criminal traditions that had come down to those days since pre-revolutionary times. All of them strictly obeyed the rigid set of special rules. There were many, the most unusual. In addition to the categorical prohibition on cooperation with the authorities in all its forms, there were other restrictions.
For example, a thief in law was by no means permitted to have a family. It was believed that he should completely devote his life to crime, comrades, and his wife and children make a person vulnerable, allow him to influence him. Today, criminals have already departed from this tradition.
Interestingly, during the years of World War II and a little later, the world of thieves in law experienced a serious shock. The fact is that quite a few criminal authorities then decided to support the country in difficult years for it. Some thieves in law joined the Soviet army and went to the front.
However, other legalists, strictly observing the ban on cooperation with the state, did not agree with this. They christened the apostates "bitches." And when they returned after winning the zones, a real criminal war broke out between supporters of different camps. She got the name "bitch."
A real thief in law is someone who has a lot of criminal record, does not depart from the rules existing in the community, with unquestioned authority in the criminal world. Such people usually resolve all disputes in a criminal environment, in their hands are a thieves' common fund, control over all types of criminal business, and the situation in colonies and prisons.
However, today the community is quite fragmented. They are constantly redistributing spheres of influence, various groups are fighting. However, this institution still exists and operates. There are even thieves in law who influence politics, the country's economy as a whole, and power. Experts say that there are now 10 or 15 such people in Russia.
