The article is devoted to the analysis of approaches to determining criteria and indicators of the mental health. It is noted that the relevance of the research is determined by the importance of the phenomenon of the mental health for successful professional activity by personnel in the penitentiary system.

A definition is proposed that the level of the mental health of the personnel of penitentiary institutions will depend on how developed their mental functions are, how quickly they react to changes (emotionally, thoughts, actions), what psychological features they have and what kind of relationships they have with different social groups. Mental health provides an age-appropriate level of adaptation to changes in the surrounding environment and is manifested through the adequacy of behavioral manifestations.

The article presents approaches to structuring the criteria for mental health of the personnel of penitentiary institutions in accordance with the manifestation of the mental: mental states, processes, properties, taking into account the specifics of the conditions of professional activity.

Important criteria for the mental health of the personnel of penitentiary institutions are highlighted: the ability to act in a situation of uncertainty, having developed stress resistance, resilience, critical attitude, the ability to plan, self-control, the ability to maintain activity for a long time in extreme situations, mental balance, the need for career self-development.

Emphasis has been placed on the application of the mental health assessment system, which will ensure the timely identification of the peculiarities of the development of the penitentiary system personnel, as well as allow, in the context of the psychohygiene and psychoprevention program, to identify and neutralize the factors that cause maladaptation, deformation of the need-motivation sphere, and inhibit the processes of personal and professional development.

Key words: mental health, personnel of penitentiary institutions, criteria of the mental health, professional activity, mental processes, mental states, mental properties, psychoprevention.

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