There is no alternative to making "prisons work", David Cameron will say, as he insists criminals can be punished and rehabilitated at the same time.
In a speech in London, he will claim that debate on crime and punishment has become too "black or white".
Serious offenders must be imprisoned, but jails must have a "positive impact" on inmates, he will argue.
The PM has had a difficult week, with Andrew Mitchell quitting as chief whip and confusion over energy policy.
Mr Cameron faced criticism from within his party for his handling of the row between Mr Mitchell and a police officer outside Downing Street, which led to his resignation on Friday.
Several MPs have said No 10 was at fault for letting the episode drag on for so long and Mr Mitchell - who is expected to make his formal resignation statement to Parliament in the next few days - should have been removed immediately.
Coming at the same time as confusion over moves to ensure customers are offered the lowest available energy tariffs, and over transport policy, Downing Street has been told to "get a grip" and do more to show that it is in touch with public concerns.
In a long-planned speech on Monday, Mr Cameron will seek to regain the initiative by insisting that crime is an issue that "matters to all of us" and reject characterisations of his views from both the left and right of the political spectrum.
'Hoodie history'He will refer to comments he made while opposition leader in 2005, following which he was accused of wanting to "hug a hoodie".
Mr Cameron will say: "For many people, I am associated with those three words, two of which begin with 'h' and one of which is hoodie... even though I never actually said it.
End Quote David CameronWith the crime debate, people seem to want it black or white, 'lock 'em up or let 'em out, blame the criminal or blame society, 'be tough' or 'act soft"
"For others, I am the politician who has argued for tough punishment. So do I take a tough line on crime or a touchy-feely one?
"In no other debate do the issues get polarised like this...With the crime debate, people seem to want it black or white, 'lock 'em up' or 'let 'em out', blame the criminal or blame society, 'be tough' or 'act soft'.
Personal responsibility is at the heart of the criminal justice system, he will stress, and that means long prison sentences are the only "thinkable" punishment for certain serious offenders.
"This is what victims and society deserve... And the society bit matters. Retribution is not a dirty word; it is important to society that revulsion against crime and is properly recognised," he will argue.
But echoing comments made by Tony Blair in the 1990s, Mr Cameron will say the government must "think hard about dealing with the causes of crime" not just the results of crime.
Rehabilitation revolutionThis, he will stress, means more emphasis on crime prevention and, at a time when budgets are being cut and prison numbers are stretched, priority being given to reducing re-offending.
Critics have warned that Ken Clarke's replacement by Chris Grayling as justice secretary last month signalled a hardening of the approach on sentencing but the prime minister will stress he is as committed to a "rehabilitation revolution" for prisoners as at any time.
Private firms and charities must be given an expanded role to work with all prisoners, not just those in prison for a year or more, he will say, while the model of payments by results for such firms must be accelerated.
"I say let's use that time we have got these people inside to have a proper positive impact on them... it is not a case of 'prison works' or 'prison does not work' - we need to make prison work better.
"And once people are on the outside, let's stick with them, and give then proper support."
Mr Grayling told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We have to do this differently. We have got people coming back out onto the streets after prison who are as likely to reoffend again as not to reoffend. We have got to do things differently.
"The benefit of a payment-by-results system is it forces the organisations working with you to look for what really does work because they don't get paid unless they do."
Plans were announced on Sunday to introduce a new offence of possessing firearms with an intention to supply them to others, carrying a maximum life sentence, designed to target "middle men" who import and traffic weapons for gangs.
Labour said the coalition had cut police numbers and budgets, circumscribed judges and "let victims down".
"If the government's going to make a serious announcement this week he (David Cameron) should explain why he's done nothing for the last 29 months and he's got to explain how these policies are going to be paid for," said shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan.
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