Not when I was younger. You committed a crime, you went through the system.
Today, you can do almost anything in NYC. Yeah, they'll process you, but the judge will ROR you (release on recognizance) , or even worse, a cop will write a DOT (desk appearance ticket).
This is why the city is polluted with recidivists, and the quality of life is in the toilet.
Cops bust criminals, and usually charge accordingly. DAs get the case, and reduce the charges, usually offering insane plea bargains (slaps on the wrist). This is how they cook the crime stats and numbers. They basically reduce felonies to misdemeanors (or throw the case out entirely) and say, "look, crime is down." LOL. Been doing this for decades. They use this stupid system called "comp stat." In theory it's awesome, but in practice it's a crock of ****. Ultimately, you have to trust cops, lawyers, and politicians, lol. GMAFB.