In my day everyone of importance in your life beat you as a kid. My parents (mom mostly cause dad did not know his own strength) beat me with a strap, spoon, broom or whatever was near. Not for simple infractions BTW
I went to a Catholic school and the stories you've heard are true. There was no going home and complaining about it if it happened to you. You'd just get another beating.
The cop who caught you doing something you were not supposed to do. He'd slap you around a bit and call you stupid then tell you why you were wrong. If that didn't seem to sink in or he felt needed more attention he would take you to your parents and explain the misdeed always leaving saying he would be watching you...and he did. He'd stop by the park or wherever and ask us to approach the car, try to find out what else was going on and then head off to whatever else they did in the community. That I know of, cops are no longer stationed in a single area for extended periods of time here in Chicago anymore.