Sentences in the positive legislation of the Republic of Serbia: From the criminal law and penology perspectives

This study analyzes both general and specific purpose of sentences as well as the types of sentences and the procedure of their imposition. The penalty system, defined by criminal legislation acts, is based on a relevant knowledge of criminal law sciences and disciplines, together with the rules contained in the UN documents and other international acts, ratified by our country, and which are related to penalty systems, the principles of the legal sanctions implementation and especially the imposition of imprisonment. The aim of sentencing the perpetrators of criminal offences is the prevention of socially dangerous acts which endanger or threaten the social values protected by criminal legislation. The purpose of sentencing is implemented by a general prevention, i.e. by influencing the others in such a way that they will not commit criminal offences, because it will strengthen the moral and fortify the duty of obeying the law, as well as by a special prevention, i.e. preventing a perpetrator from committing a criminal offence and rehabilitating him/her into a law abiding citizen. Therefore, there are many changes in a criminal and penology legislation of Republic of Serbia being represented, among the other things, in adopting the international and European standards and their implementation into legal regulations.