The United States does not maximize revenue in the slightest. We routinely use the justice system to unnecessarily prosecute and incarcerate the poor at a huge expense.
That's because you are looking at the United States as a whole.
This police department ticketed this person for something and gets the revenue of the ticket. All other effects are costs for other departments. Positive on the books.
This Justice processing department gets budgeted for processing the ticket. All other effects are costs for other departments. Positive on the books.
...
This Court department gets budgeted for filing a warrant for this poor person's refusal to pay. The capturing and holding of this person will be a cost for other departments. Positive on the books.
...
This prison gets paid for holding this prisoner, positive on the books.
Every department is doing things which benefit them and the costs for that specific action don't show up negatively (even if they spawn later actions in other departments that generate costs for them). Every department is doing right by itself in the moment, and millions of dollars are lost.
I think you're looking at that from the wrong perspective. It's definitely generating revenue for someone but I think you're picking the wrong someone.
