Right to be peed-off?

Situation at work.
Am I right to be peed-off, or am I just over thinking it?


I've changed the context slightly as otherwise it may be inappropriate for me to discuss on a forum like this.


Say that I'm a social worker (I'm not - context change).
As a social worker, I work with other agencies when appropriate - the NHS, police, employers, etc.

I have a particularly good professional relationship with many of the people I'm helping.
A situation developed late last week when one of the people I help committed a petty and almost negligible crime, which if punished would have resulted in nothing more than a small fine.

I tried to leverage my good professional relationship with this person in order to make him understand that he has done wrong. I tried to make him understand that he has two choices;
a) be punished by police, or
b) apologise for what he did and possibly escape any criminal charge.

On this particular occasion I was unsuccessful in making him select option b) above, and therefore he was charged, but I have been successful at helping him in other situations before.

After the incident, I was criticised by a colleague for overstepping the boundaries of my role because, technically, dealing with that situation should have been left solely to the police.
My argument is that I care passionately about my role in improving the lives of the people I'm charged with helping, and that I tried to leverage my relationship with the person in order to try and get the best outcome for him.

Are they right to criticise me? Did I overstep the boundaries of my role?
Or, was I right to try and leverage my good working relationship with the person in question so to try to get the best outcome even though, technically, it was beyond my responsibility?


Apologies in advance for the change of context...but thanks in advance for any replies

It would help more to know what the actual situation was.

But you gave them one good choice and one bad choice if they chose the latter I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

Sorry I should have been clearer...
You're right. It was their choice to make either way.
My question is am I right to be peed-off that I was criticised by my colleague?

I don't know your role and situation. For all I know you could be a social worker and a Kid threw an egg at a window and you gave them a choice to say sorry or you will call the police.

Or you could work in tesco and someone else who worked there kept eating the food.

There is always that one person that gives their opinion whether you like it or not and that same person is usually very annoying.

Either way you did what YOU thought was right. If I was in the same situation personally I would have done a similar thing.