a branch of legal psychology that studies the psychological mechanisms of offenses, the personality of the offender and the functioning of criminal groups. Attention is paid to the causes and motives of criminal behavior, the processes of its mental regulation, as well as the reactions of the individual after the commission of the crime, including participation in court proceedings and stay in penitentiary institutions. The object of this research is the mental phenomena that determine the criminal behavior of an individual, groups and society as a whole. Criminal behavior is defined as any antisocial act that violates laws or social norms.