The article deals with topical issues of social and legal protection of employees of penitentiary services under the reform of the criminal-executive system of the Russian Federation. It gives a brief review of the provisions of the Concept for the Development of the Penitentiary System of the Russian Federation until 2020. The research states the need to further ensure the high social status and prestige of the work of an employee of the domestic criminal-executive system. The author defines the concept of social and legal protection of the staff of the penal system and identifies the most important problems in this area. The empirical base of the study was made up of statistical data on the status of social and legal protection of the staff of the Russian Federation's penal enforcement system in 2013 – 2018, the results of a questionnaire survey, and a survey conducted on the basis of the Kuzbass Institute of the Federal Penal Correction Service of Russia and the Kirov Institute of Advanced Training for the Federal Penal Correction Service of Russia among 246 students of initial training and promotion qualifications. On their basis, the author draws some important conclusions and proposes amendments to the current legislation. The results of the research can be taken into account in the course of further reform of the penal system in terms of improving the social and legal protection of personnel.