I think that's partially true - the reform and reinsertion part has clearly been lost in the US. However, retribution and 'locking people away' is part of the imprisonment equation in Europe as well. But what is being glorified in the rape jokes isn't simply punishment, it's torture.  To use an analogy - when raising kids, all parents and schools employ discipline, meaning punishment for bad behaviour, along of course with an attempt at teaching them to behave better, but there's a difference between legitimate discipline and child abuse.