On the basis of results of the theoretical analysis and questioning of staff of institutions and bodies of a penal system current problems of formation and realization of a reserve of the managerial personnel are revealed, offers on their decision are formulated. 750 employees consisting in a personnel pool and 150 employees of personnel devisions from 26 territorial bodies of the Federal Penal Service have taken part in questioning.The problems of search of candidates for inclusion in a reserve and their motivation, methodical ensuring work with a personnel pool, a formalism and lack of the personal focused approach to work with reservists, assessment of candidates for inclusion in a reserve and efficiency of the created reserve are analyzed.In the organization of work on formation and realization of a personnel pool in a penal system it is offered to provide openness of process of formation of a personnel pool and office and official advance, increase in a role of higher heads and personnel devices in work with a reserve; to systematically carry out assessment of efficiency of the organization of work with a reserve and level of individual readiness of reservists; to develop methodical recommendations about the organization of training of the employees included in a reserve; to carry out exchange of information about a personnel pool between territorial authorities of a penal system; to use the active practice-focused forms and methods of training of reservists (responsible missions, temporary delegation of powers, inclusion in the working groups and the commissions, appointment as the head of target organizational structures).The conclusion about need of development for institutions and bodies of a penal system of strategy (concept) for development of personnel providing improvement of the work with a reserve of the managerial personnel and considering tendencies of development of the organization, her perspective purposes, the planned innovations in office activity and also corresponding changes for organizational structure and the staff list is drawn.Results of a research can be used in work of personnel divisions of institutions and bodies of the penal system, are the basis for development of the corresponding methodical materials.