The petty crime could be jaywalking. For jaywalking if the punishment were to be lynching then that would be a example of cruel punishment. A correct punishment could be a fine of no more than $500. If a country doesn’t have this law then unusual and infant treatment would be released to the citizens and it would show an unstable country.
The answer to your question, would be that the result of landlords not maintaining their tenements got injured because they were in unsafe living spaces.