Did any of you bother to click on the link and read the article?
I did and the basic premise does make sense. The city would identify up to 200 potential candidates, who would be required to participate in counseling and other programs in order to receive the stipends, which would be up to $9K per person per year. The $9K would be much less than the costs incurred when a crime is committed.
I do agree that the thought of paying people to behave themselves does sound stupid but a closer read reveals that, if properly implemented and monitored, it could work as intended.