The Role and Organization of Penal Institutions in the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Kosovo

This theoretical-comparative research addresses the nature of penology as part of the legislative systems of the Republic of Northern Macedonia and the Republic of Kosovo, specifically the system of penal institutions in these two countries. The actual intent and motive of the judicial reforms and the unstoppable criticism of the governments of both countries by the relevant international and European institutions as well as by the relevant domestic governmental and non-governmental institutions for the overall state of the system of the role and organization of the penitentiary institutions was for this research topic “The Role and Organization of Penal Institutions in the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Kosovo”. For the purposes and tasks of this research many relevant documents have been analysed and detailed starting from the applicable legislation in this segment of the two countries, namely penology as a whole from relevant scientific literature, reports of European Commission on Fundamental Rights 2012-18, ombudsman's 2012-18 annual reports, research by non-governmental organizations Helsinki Committee and Civil 2015-17, Reports of- Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT), reports by the statistical office of the two countries concerned as well as annual reports by the Basic Court and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.. From this research, it was concluded that the current state of the penitentiary institutions in the two countries concerned is almost at the same level as the reports in question, and that the improvement of the situation in this year is insignificant under the fundamental human rights requirements in fact. Prisoners, the still deplorable and catastrophic physical conditions, the number of prisoners outside the standards and parameters set for those institutions, the use of outdated and inhumane means and methods, the very low funding allocated by the state for prisoners' heads, etc.