The paper discusses alternative sanctions in Croatian criminal legislation with a focus on one of them – community service, the development of the institute of community service and its introduction into the Criminal Code of the Republic of Croatia in 1997. The concept of community service is analysed through its legal nature and legal regulation, the prerequisites for the imposition and manner of replacing financial fine and imprisonment with community service, the possibility of ordering community service by the State Attorney, and the situation when protective supervision is imposed in addition to community service. Community service is carried out through an individual programme of conduct, alongside the possibility of delaying and terminating the execution due to the existence of reasons determined by law. The system and role of probation and probation officers in the execution of sanctions and probation activities, legal entities in which community service is carried out and the presentation of part of the report on the work of the probation service through the analysis of the application of community service in the Republic of Croatia are also an integral part of this paper. Community service can be a substitute for imprisonment or a fine. So, it is a way of extrainstitutional sanctioning the offender. The forementioned is the result of avoiding the problem of inefficiency and lack of imprisonment. This institute achieves the purpose of punishment – general and special prevention, and the convicted person performs work in his or her spare time that contributes to society and the community, acquires work habits, achieves reparation and reintegration.