I am now talking all the thoughts from a club at school / debates and posting them here. So here is the topic: what is the primary purpose of prison? Is it simply to punish those who have done wrong? Is it done to protect the community? Is it done simply to take the "bad-guys" off the community? Etc.

To me isolation seems like a primary reason.

All of the above.

EDIT: Bah. I didn't bother to properly read the title. PRIMARY reason. So one reason. Hmmmm...

I'd say, to protect the community.

I'd say it is to isolate them from the community so they can't keep committing murders, kidnapping, etc.

Keeping bad people off the streets for the actions the commited, Like murder, GTA, and others. I think it's there to think about what they have done.

For minor criminals, rehabilitation. For major criminals who show no signs of recovery, isolation.

In my opinion.
Done to protect the community

1. It's to keep serial killers, rapists, and thieves from repeating the crime that they commit.
2. To scare people into becoming a good person and to not break the law.
3. To give the people in the jail time to think about what they did.

This, also it is a business, and a very effective social control.

Prison is for punishment as well as removing the "bad guys" from the community.