When I was a boy growing up in London while my father was away fighting WW2, I got into mischief like many kids. My mother warned me that if I didn't behave, I would end up in Borstal 'young offenders prison' and get the birch. It was the threat of the birch that may have curbed me. Perhaps this medievil punishment should be reintroduced for some crimes as the threat of prison, certainly in the UK, doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent.