I would venture to say that most don't want pity. They just want to be reassimilated back into society. So yeah I can be kind with criminals. Hell half the people I hung out with in HS were criminals.
I would say that the government needs to help criminals more after they do their time. I think it would be pretty hard to come out of jail (even a short term sentence) and try to become a "contributing" member of society. So instead of giving inmates $240 bucks when they leave the yard, how about set up some organization to help them get jobs and earn a living. That seems like it would help keep them from going back.
Is this the equivalent of pity? Nah, it's just lightening the load on the taxpayers if it works by not having to pay for prisons and their meals. Prisons are big business.