> Protecting society from criminals (or the violently and severely mentally-ill) is the only function of incarceration that is guaranteed to work.
However in most cases the incarceration is used as punishment, with the length is related to the seriousness of the crime rather than the likelihood for repeating offenses.
Here in Norway we explicitly separate this, where most sentences are punishment, but some are explicitly for protecting society. In the latter case there is technically no end, just a minimum time and after that periodic reviews to determine if the person still poses a sufficient threat.
It's technically classified as a punishment due to legal reasons, like ensuring human rights and due process are respected.
However in most cases the incarceration is used as punishment, with the length is related to the seriousness of the crime rather than the likelihood for repeating offenses.
Here in Norway we explicitly separate this, where most sentences are punishment, but some are explicitly for protecting society. In the latter case there is technically no end, just a minimum time and after that periodic reviews to determine if the person still poses a sufficient threat.
It's technically classified as a punishment due to legal reasons, like ensuring human rights and due process are respected.