Timeouts worked FANTASTIC with my 1yo... so I have to disagree about them not working. They were swift and immediate - scooped up, and in the crib or out in the car seat, or on the couch, or outside the restaraunt, or, or, or. It was also pretty "simple" to get him to "stay" ;) when we were out and about, because if he didn't stay where I put him, he got strapped in his carseat OR we went straight home. So he learned quite quickly that if he got the "chance" to stay, instead of be in the carseat or go home, to take advantage of it. (Certain offenses, like throwing sand on the playground, or hurting other children was an immediate 'go home' offense... EXCEPT... at family gatherings/ friends' houses he typically got a warning. <laughing> Throwing sand or wood at the park was hilarious, because he'd PUSH that boundary. We went home 3 times in under a minute - not to go back again that day at all... with me guilt tripping him periodically "We COULD be at the park right now, but you THREW SAND at someone so we had to LEAVE, so we CAN'T be at the park. All 3 times I'd reminded him about not throwing and all 3 times he *looked* at me right before he threw it. Home we go. After that, no more throwing sand.)
Now... I didn't do the minute per year of age thing. They'd typically last between 3-10 minutes. And if he started playing/etc I'd *remind* him he was on timeout and what for. Step 1 was make him cry/upset (to link feeling badly with hurting others), Step2 was calming down, Step3 was talk about it (at a year it was enough for "No hit?" and a big shaking head "no" (he'd say "yes" if he was still angry) and arms reached out, and then he'd go apologize to the person he hit (hugs, or pats, etc.) which is step4 ... to set things right.
Prior to age 3 timeouts were ONLY for hurting others. Everything else got a "punishment to fit the crime". Ex) Fighting over a toy, meant the toy went away. Damage a book, the books go away. Whine, you don't get whatever you're whining for.
Also prior to age 3, timeouts were a GREAT tool (they were a lifesaver AFTER age 3). Prior to 3 they were rarely needed (maybe once every other week, except for certain things that the 'gears were turning'. like 3 days in a row of throwing sand), offenses rarely repeated more than 2 or 3 times. We'd often go MONTHS without needing a timeout. But we had the terrible 3s at our house, and that could be timeouts 10 times a day on bad days, and he was usually in timeout at least once a day on "good" days. Don't get me wrong, we'd have days without, but they were rare. Ditto... inappropriate behaviors would be repeated and repeated and repeated, unlike when he was younger and timeout nixed them FAST. OMG. Thankgod for age 4. It was an overnight thing at 3, and equally overnight at age 4. YAY the lovebug returned! Completely necessary for healthy development and all (independence seeking & cognitive emotional integration... by OY what an exhausting year. Esp since, as an ADHD kiddo -merely suspected at the time, known for sure now- he's prone to super intense emotions. Our timeouts at 3+ lasted well over an hour. He'd be in full flail for 30-40 minutes (normal with adhd), so we couldn't even GET to talking about it, finding solutions, or putting things right until 30-45 minutes later.)