It is kind of ironic how people don't understand how deterrence works. They think being tough on crime means more deterrence, but realistically those people leave prison one day, with less to lose and the deterrence effect disappears for good.
Especially when conviction rates are as low as they are, "getting caught is something that happens it other people, it could never happen to me, I'm too smart"
I've read studies that suggest that high detection/conviction rates and relatively mild punishments is the ideal.