This article discusses the possibility of postponement of execution and serving of punishment fixed in the law. The social necessity of the existence of this institution of law is determined by normative legal acts defining the strategy of development of a healthy, law-abiding, value-oriented society. It is noted that the legal totality under study provides the possibility of implementing socially useful institutions, such as full-fledged upbringing and education of children in the family; voluntary and conscientious treatment for drug addiction; assistance to vulnerable categories of citizens in connection with the occurrence of various emergency situations. The text of the work analyzes the norms of the Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes of the Russian Federation, regulating the grounds and procedure for granting a convicted person a reprieve from serving his sentence. The author points out a certain legislative inconsistency in the issues of legal regulation of the object of research. In conclusion, the general idea of further reforming the institution of postponement of serving a sentence is proposed.