The number of scientific papers – in the field of penology and economics - that deal with the benefits of using alternatives to imprisonment is rising nowadays. The authors of these papers attempt to illustrate (quantify) the benefits and costs of using the prison sentence vis-à-vis alternatives to imprisonment. The goal of these cost-benefit analyses is to show that there are certain situations in which it would be more beneficial for society to impose alternatives to imprisonment. Therefore,

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... his paper aims to set the foundations for further studies of the Macedonian prison system from an economic point of view. From a structural point of view, the authors start by underlying the types of penalties and measures in the Macedonian criminal system. Once the penalties and measures are presented, the authors move onwards to illuminating how the cost-benefit analysis should be conducted. The paper also contains comparative studies on the costs and benefits associated with imprisonment, i.e. the use of alternatives to imprisonment. The motive of the paper is to draw the attention of the researchers to this extremely important issue, as well as to encourage other more far-reaching research. Such research could, ultimately, affect the country's penal policy.