In "Thank You M'am", why does Mrs. Jones give Roger money for shoes instead of turning him over to the police?

There are two likely reasons that Mrs. Jones takes pity on Roger and gives him money rather than handing him over to the police. First off, Mrs. Jones feels bad for Roger because he doesn't seem to have parents who provide the kind of guidance and care that he needs. She notices that he is dirty and hasn't washed properly in some time and suspects that he hasn't been eating well either. This makes her...

There are two likely reasons that Mrs. Jones takes pity on Roger and gives him money rather than handing him over to the police. First off, Mrs. Jones feels bad for Roger because he doesn't seem to have parents who provide the kind of guidance and care that he needs. She notices that he is dirty and hasn't washed properly in some time and suspects that he hasn't been eating well either. This makes her feel sorry for Roger and want to help him. Secondly, in her conversations with him, she notes that she made similar mistakes to those that he is making when she was young herself. She hopes that by reaching out and helping Roger rather than sending him to the police she can help him turn his life around. Ultimately, Mrs. Jones' decision not to turn Roger over to the police stems from her ability to empathize with him and recognize that he needs help rather than punishment.