I would normally be appalled by this, but...

Slate couldn't find 1 person who felt coerced? I kept expecting them to have someone claim to have paid because he or she felt traped, but nada.

Related, while security guards might not always right, there's nothing in here that says that the choice is offered to every suspect. Maybe they only offer it to people who clearly shoplifted. The author tried, and failed, to get comment from retailers.

Those are two big missing pieces, imp.

Finally, being particularly cynical today, don't see why law enforcement should have a monopoly on coercion.