Communities that have sufficient social service resources, like detox and mental health facilities, allow officers to use more nonarrest options. The way in which officers are summoned plays a role in how they will act when they get there. Police believe the legislature did not desire full enforcement. Instead, they believed the politicians were making symbolic statements, expressing an ideal, or appearing to be tough on crime. Other laws may carry penalties that the police think are too severe.
Police believe the community wants lenient or lax enforcement.
The crime is common within a subcultural group, victims do not file complaints, witnesses refuse to testify, victim and offender are related, the victim is involved in misconduct, and the victim is more likely to get restitution without arrest. An arrest may cause loss of valuable public support or unduly harm someone's status in the community. Police believe other duties are more urgent or important. The officer goes off duty in ten minutes, the department has stopped subsidizing officers for court appearances, there's inadequate manpower for backup, and the police trade nonenforcement for other favors, deals, or to gain informants. This has been one area where police have been more than willing to ask social workers, social scientists, and academicians for help.