Maybe there were no relatives living in the same city. Maybe living relatives are all estranged. Maybe they have their own catastrophic troubles which make it

Maybe there were no relatives living in the same city. Maybe living relatives are all estranged. Maybe they have their own catastrophic troubles which make it infeasible to help. If not for this individual, then for others. Statistically, going to jail will cause severe dislocation and disruption at least some of the time. Fragile circumstance are fragile.