Ethnopsychological competence of employees in the penal system as a factor in countering extremism in the penitentiary environment

The subject of the research is the formation of ethnopsychological competence among employees of the penal enforcement system (PES) as a tool for preventing extremism and terrorism in the penitentiary environment. The focus is on the theoretical foundations of the concept of ethnopsychological competence, the peculiarities of interethnic interactions in places of deprivation of liberty, and the factors contributing to the spread of radical views among convicts. The necessity of incorporating the ethnopsychological component into the professional training system of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia is examined. Special attention is paid to the methods of developing the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components of competence, aimed at preventing destructive manifestations and ensuring safety in the polyethnic environment of correctional institutions. Barriers hindering the formation of such competence are analyzed, along with ways to overcome them within the framework of departmental educational policy. The specificity of service activities and the requirements for the psychological resilience of personnel in the face of intercultural challenges are taken into account. The research employs methods of surveying, case analysis, and reflective practices within an interdisciplinary methodology based on ethnopsychological and pedagogical approaches. The scientific novelty of the research lies in revealing a non-linear dependence of the level of ethnopsychological competence on years of service, establishing a critical deficit in the motivational component across all employee groups, and developing a multi-level model for competence formation—from university training to support for current personnel; it is the first time that the disproportionality between the cognitive and activity components among experienced employees has been empirically confirmed. Conclusions: the level of preparedness of PES employees for preventing extremism remains below average; the most vulnerable link is low motivation, especially among "veterans" of the service; the effectiveness of prevention is achieved only through a systematic approach—combining diagnostics, training, interaction with religious organizations, and monitoring the interethnic situation; it is advisable to integrate the ethnopsychological component into the continuous professional training of FSIN Russia personnel, enhancing practice-oriented formats.