About the book: 2003 / The retroactive force of the criminal law is the central and most acute problem of the operation of the criminal law in time. This problem is most acute during the period of adoption of a new criminal code, especially if this code and the amendments and additions made to it are adopted in the process of forming new social relations. These circumstances with the adoption of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation added additional difficulties when applying the retroactive force of the law. The work made an attempt to provide an ethical justification for the retroactive force of the criminal law. The effect of the criminal law in time and, in particular, the issues of retroactive force of the criminal law are considered in the work from the point of view of subjective imputation. Using judicial practice, the work examines the issues of applying the retroactive force of the criminal law in relation to the norms of both the General and Special Parts of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On the issues considered, foreign criminal legislation was used in the work. Based on the results of the study, proposals were made aimed at improving criminal legislation. For teachers, graduate students, students of law schools and law enforcement officials.