ADEQUATE APPLICATION OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES IN THE PENAL POLICY OF MACEDONIAN COURTS TOWARDS REDUCING PRISON OVERCROWDING

Abstract

and court penalty policies from 2017 to 2023. The initial part of this study presents alternative measures for
Macedonian criminal legislation. According to the Criminal Code, the following alternative measures may be
imposed on perpetrators of crimes: conditional sentences, conditional sentences with protective supervision,
conditional discontinuation of criminal proceedings, community service, court admonition, and house arrest. The
second section provides an overview of the penal policy of Macedonian courts over a specified period. The third
section discusses the problems of overcrowding in Macedonian prisons. The problem of prison overcrowding has
been recorded by both competent state institutions and international organizations, as well as by the non
governmental sector. Towards the end of the paper, concluding observations are presented regarding alternative
measures, their application in court penal policy, and the problem of overcrowding in penitentiary institutions in
the country. It is essential to understand that an adequate normative framework must be established for appropriate
implementation of alternative measures in practice. The application of alternative measures in fair judicial
procedures is an appropriate way to reduce prison overcrowding.