These stories stick in the mind. You won't hear the stories about how something didn't happen, like someone with an expired license was let go and allowed to get home in time to keep their job and therefore didn't end up stealing because they lost their job and had no other way to earn money.

Going to jail can have a huge ripple effect on an individual and their community that isn't accounted for.

The parable of the broken window (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_broken_window) seems apt here.