I think that the key generalization you could make is that once someone is shown to be engaging in criminal behavior, it's better to let that person stay free b

I think that the key generalization you could make is that once someone is shown to be engaging in criminal behavior, it's better to let that person stay free but have frequent checks than to put that person in a prison cell to rot. It probably does work better for something habitual and detectable like alcohol use, but I could see how it could be applied to gang membership and other forms of thuggery. Maybe spending our resources on light consistent touch programs would help more than the significant resources needed for full-time incarceration.