In "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes, what reasons for helping Roger are inferred when Mrs. Jones talks to him?

In "Thank You, Ma'm," Langston Hughes tells the story about a young teenager named Roger, who tries to steal Mrs. Jones' purse, only to get caught. Mrs. Jones takes Roger back to her apartment and ends up not only feeding him supper, but also giving him money for the shoes he wants. At one point, she tells Roger a little about herself,

"'I have done things, too, which I would not tell you, son--neither tell God, if he didn't already know.'" (Hughes 7)

Mrs. Jones is telling Roger that she, too, did things she was not proud of as a youngster. She understands what being poor is like and what it means to want things she cannot afford. Because of her background, she decides to help Roger rather than punish him. She knows she can do more good for him by being understanding than by calling the police.