There are three reasons to punish someone with prison time.

1. "Justice" I won't make any bones about this. This seems an absurd rational, an appeal to a nebulous concept that is inherently subjective.

2. Remove them from society so they cannot harm others. This one makes A LOT of sense. If you're a murderer, being behind bars can physically prevent you from harming others. This is one of the chief priorities of the legal system. Getting the people who can't play nice with others away from the rest.

3. Deterrent. My personal favorite. By punishing a person for their actions it sends a message to all would be criminals that they too can have the same punishment inflicted. Anyone who says that deterrence never works is an idiot or a liar. If people fear the consequences of doing something - they are less likely to do it.

My question - of the three which do you care about when it comes to sentencing? NOTE: This isn't a discussion about theft this is a broader issue. Feel free to pick the crime. Tax evasion, Murder, Rape, Arson, Money Laundering - whatever.