The importance of unifying the conceptual and categorical apparatus of national security in the context of clarifying the content of the category "public safety"

Background. Currently, in the current National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation, issues of ensuring public safety are recognized as key in a number of strategic national tasks. The lack of a unified doctrinal approach to the main categories and concepts that form the terminological basis of the modern concept of public safety, including the central category of "public safety", actualizes re search in this area. The problem is complicated by the lack of specialized regulations in modern legis lation that establish and clarify basic notions and concepts, which stimulates discussions in scientific circles about which document should consolidate the categorical and terminological apparatus of pub lic safety – in a new concept or law. There are ongoing discussions in the scientific literature regarding which normative legal act should enshrine the conceptual and categorical apparatus of public safety (in a new concept or legislative act). The purpose of the work is to investigate the role of the unification of the terminological apparatus of national security in the formation of the category "public safety", including the choice of the form of legal consolidation. The author's definition of the concept of "pub lic safety" is proposed, taking into account the change in the paradigm of national security: "security is impossible without ensuring development, and achieving the proper level of development helps to minimize and eliminate threats." Materials and methods. To achieve the goal of the work, such meth ods as analysis, systematic, functional, axiological and formal legal methods were used, as a result of which the author's definition of public safety was formulated. Results. As a result of the conducted re search, the factors influencing the current state of the conceptual and categorical apparatus of public security are identified. Conclusions. The study leads to the understanding that when formalizing the concept of "public safety" at the legislative level, an axiological approach should be followed, accord ing to which public safety is presented as a stable state of government and social institutions that con tribute to the sustainable development of society in the face of threats to national interests.