[nitrogen]

If the breakins are people who need food and shelter, maybe they can help. Or if they can convince people to switch from crime to legitimate income.

In other words I'd be okay with lesser penalties for someone smashing my window if in exchange there was a very high likelihood of getting caught, and of that event leading to reformed lives.

[cvdub]

I'd love to see stats on how many of the people involved in these incidents end up leading reformed lives.

The mental health team diffuses the situation and no one gets arrested. That's great on paper, but what happens tomorrow?

If someone is smashing car windows to pay for their drug addiction, what's stopping them from doing it again tomorrow?

[myownpetard]

> what's stopping them from doing it again tomorrow?

Giving medical help to a drug addict is more likely to reduce the likelihood that they commit another crime than giving them a criminal record.

[nitrogen]

Anecdotally, I can confirm this by seeing someone who made one very real but economically insignificant mistake have their career ruined for years over a misdemeanor charge. They needed financial and emotional help. Instead they got a plea bargain steamroller, no chance to talk to counsel, etc.