What is the Primary purpose of prison, Punishment or Rehabilitation?

[Scougar]

So... following on from another thread where this cropped up: What is the primary purpose of prison, punishment or rehabilitation?

As has been pointed out the Prison Services mandate apparently does include that its purpose is to rehabilitate, whilst I merely think that it is a modern concept, and the primary purpose is to lock offenders up as punishment away from the general public, and rehabilitation is the secondary objective and the hoped outcome.

Discuss.

 

[Scougar]

Removal of dangerous people from society should be the primary reason.

Which I view as the 'punishment' part. Removal from society for your crime(s).

 

[Scougar]

I think that really is a different question, about whether the approach to rehabilitation working, and could it be better etc.

Back on topic:
I see the justice system as (Very basically obviously):

1) You commit a crime.
2) Assuming you get found guilty, you are sentenced.
3) Depending on seriousness of crime, you might be imprisoned.
4) If you are imprisoned you are taking away from society as punishment.
5) Whilst there, you are given the change to undertake rehabilitation.

If the primary purpose was to rehabilitate then some offenders would be released after they had been deemed to have been rehabilitated, even before there sentence was up. I suspect that if that has happened it is exceptionally rare. Far as I'm aware they still have to carry out their minimum sentence regardless of rehabilitation, hence the punishment part.