Does the End Justify the Means?

I have heard someone say that they will allow some people to do illegal things to help them get by their life. The compensation given to those people wouldn't be enough to sustain their lifestyle so they were allowed to do so. It was given the justification that those permission to do illegal things are a way of helping them. Making them happy.

The end goal : sustainable life

The means : illegal actions

Clearly, this is not a justifiable action. People should not be permitted to do illegal things especially when they affect the lives of other people. Some individuals might say that what you wouldn't know won't hurt you. But sometimes it does.