The article reveals the importance of the personality of an employee of the penitentiary system (penal system) in reforming the Russian penitentiary system in terms of humanizing relations both between employees and convicts, and between employees themselves. The role of the departmental higher education institution of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the education of the future employee of the penal system as a person and professional is substantiated. The value content of the moral education of cadets of a departmental university is determined, in which a special place belongs to ethical responsibility, as a value that finds an imperative continuation in the requirements imposed on the employee of the penal system by professional ethics. The scientific ideas of scientists about the professional ethics of an employee of the penal system, which reflects the norms and requirements for an employee, are analyzed. It is substantiated that the professional ethics of an employee of the penal system provides value content for the implementation of the moral education of cadets.