Abstract: The subject of this research is the theoretical legal heritage of the prominent Russian police scientist, publicist, and public figure of the late XIX – early XX centuries, editor of the journal “Labor Assistance” Vladimir Fedorovich Deruizhinsky (1861-1920); his representations of the purpose of charity, methods of providing help by the state and private actors to the people in need; about the experience of operation of forced labor camps and commodity stations; on the effective principles of organization of public assistance; his assessment of the experience of organization of public assistance in Russian and foreign countries. The comprehensive problem-theoretical reconstruction and interpretation of theoretical legal heritage of V. F. Deryuzhinsky is realized in the modern legal science for the first time. The article explores the views of V. F. Deryuzhinsky upon the purpose of providing help to people in need, subject compositions of those who provide help, and methods of the public assistance. The author determines the motivational grounds of charity; as well as characterizes the basic stages of social work in monarchical Russia that became the object of research of V. F. Deryuzhinsky. It is underlined that Deryuzhinsky considered that the proper organization of public assistance to the poor, whose number indicates the wellbeing of the state, is the crucial task of the government. The article characterizes the results of comparative analysis of the systems of public assistance conducted by V. F. Deryuzhinsky: classification of the state that provide assistance using various methods; definition of efficiency of the Elberfeld system for aiding the poor; assessment of the experience of operation of forced labor camps and commodity stations; possibility of implementation of the foreign experience in Russia. The conclusion is made that the professional and public activity of V. F. Deryuzhinsky influenced the development of the Russian state policy in the area of social assistance in the late XIX – early XX centuries, as well as his contribution in development of the theory of social work.