Well now I am terribly curious lol
There is certainly room for improvement. "Little Johnny, I believe you went in mommy's purse and stole $100. Even though I really think you did this, it will be harder to prove than the fact that I know you borrowed your sister's shirt without asking. I probably could prove it but it would take a little doing. (or maybe, I know you didn't do that at all but I want to scare the shit out of you so you'll admit to doing the other)
SO. If you will accept the punishment for borrowing your sister's shirt I won't bother to look into my missing money. Sound like a deal?" Your dang right that sounds like a deal.
That has NOTHING to do with justice.
In a "free land" unless a person is outright harming another person no one should try to tell them what they are and are not allowed to do. There should be no "pre-crime" laws. There should be no victimless crime laws. There should only be laws based on things that cause direct, intentional harm. And how they are carried out should be decided by the people in each district of each state.
I bet we would agree on a lot more than is able to be conveyed in this format :-)