Mabel Livingston is clearly guilty of hiring a private detective to cover up her son’s crimes. This led to property damage and left her son free to make trouble. However, Ms. Livingston is an elderly woman. She has a long history of supporting charities and the community. She seems to care about people and is not likely to hurt them intentionally. Prosecutors could charge Ms. Livingston with crimes such as obstruction of justice or conspiracy to destroy evidence. In most states, a typical sentence for those crimes would involve up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

What are the pros and cons of sending Ms. Livingston to jail?