I mean people who had nominally (and in most cases actually) 'gone straight'. They weren't committing crimes in any more. (Now one of the guys had been helped to his decision by the fact that he was confined to a wheelchair after he tried to rob the wrong storeowner.) Most of them were addicts who had their addiction at least temporarily under control.
Fortunately, this isn't at all uncommon. According to national statistics something like two-thirds of offenders choose not to re-offend after each incareration. They serve their time, finish out their parole and move on to other things.
Even among the ones that aren't imprisoned, studies indicate that for most people, crime -- especially street crime -- is a temporary activity. If they survive long enough most of them give it up.
Now, would I swear that any of those folks never committed another crime? Not only no, but hell no! I'm sure some of them went back to it. Further, the minority that continue to commit crimes after they've been incarcerated a couple of times are extremely dangerous.
I wouldn't want any of these folks living across the street from me, but the ones who were candid were a very valuable source of information.
--RC "Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.