Which of the following is NOT a purpose of sentencing?

The correct answer highlights "incarceration for life" as not being a purpose of sentencing in the broader, legal sense. Sentencing serves several key purposes, primarily focusing on rehabilitation, deterrence, and punishment.

Rehabilitation aims to reform the offender, helping them change their behavior and reintegrate into society as a law-abiding citizen. Deterrence seeks to prevent future crimes by creating a fear of consequences, which can deter both the offender and the public from committing crimes. Punishing the offender serves to reflect societal condemnation of the crime and can provide justice for victims and their families.

While life imprisonment can be a sentence imposed by the courts, it is not a primary purpose in itself. It may serve the purposes of punishment and incapacitation, but it does not inherently focus on rehabilitation or deterrence in the way that a specific sentence length or alternative sentences might do. Incarceration is a method of carrying out a sentence but does not encapsulate the overarching aims of sentencing.