Before anything else, let’s be absolutely clear: Any crime is the sole responsibility of the criminal, assuming he acted on his own without impairment of his or her judgment and free will. The thief who breaks into a car is solely to blame for violating the law, not the motorist who left a fancy briefcase in the vehicle easily seen from outside.

Now, the car owner may be considered careless in raising the risk of theft by failing to follow the prudent practice of keeping valuables out of sight. But that negligence does not exempt anyone from the obligation to respect private property and obey moral and civil codes. Nor do mitigating circumstances like the thief’s joblessness and family needs, although they may lessen culpability and punishment under the law.