- punishment: you did something bad, so you should suffer.
- revenge: you did something bad to me; I'll be happy to see you suffer.
- prevention: you did something bad; to prevent you from repeating that (for a while), we'll lock you up.
Perhaps surprisingly, "paying back one's debt to society" does not figure here. Also, why do you think punishment would be paying back one's debts?
- punishment: you did something bad, so you should suffer.
- revenge: you did something bad to me; I'll be happy to see you suffer.
- prevention: you did something bad; to prevent you from repeating that (for a while), we'll lock you up.
Perhaps surprisingly, "paying back one's debt to society" does not figure here. Also, why do you think punishment would be paying back one's debts?