I 100% appreciate the hesitancy in the replies, but there is wisdom here.

Which is more humane: imprisoning men and boys for long periods of time for minor offenses in cages where it’s common knowledge that they will likely be raped, subject to gang violence that will harden them and increase the likelihood of staying in a life of crime, etc or being publicly caned a short but meaningful number of times?

It’s certainly more dignified and would set a right many of utterly perverse incentives in the prison industrial complex.