Charging people doesn't solve the problem, so if a police officer can use the situation to teach a lesson (most often to teenagers), he might seize the opportunity instead of issuing a ticket or other penalty (personal communications, November 11, 2015). Police may also base their actions on whether the community supports the decision, as they want to maintain good working relationships with the public. Additionally, they are less likely to let people go if the end of the month is approaching and the officer has not reached his or her distribution quota of 20 tickets. Additional factors may be the seriousness of the crime, the strength of the evidence, the victim's preference, and the relationship between the victim and suspect (Goff, 2011, p. 186). If it's a minor issue or there isn't much evidence, officers may not bother to proceed, especially if there are more pressing matters to resolve. A