I would hardly call what the US does as a fix considering it still has pretty poor crime rates compared to it's peers.

The police and courts rely on high crime rates and court costs to fund themselves and get bonuses. Actually lowering crime would mean downsizing and lower wages. Thats why cops in places that lowered the penalties for low level theft and drug crimes refuse to enforce any of those laws at all in protest, their easy money source shrinks and is a budget cut to their extortion racket.