Last of a dying breed

When did it become OK to be a snitch and is there ever a time when it is OK to be one. Lately I have seen what I thought to be the realest of people tell on others to save themselves. Needless to say I lost respect for a lot of people. In one instance I was speaking to a guy who told on a friend he was in the car with. He had a 380 pistol on him and the other guy had about 7 grams of dope. The police tricked him buy telling him they were going to charge him for possession both items. In reality he would have probably beat the case in court. Instead he told on the other guy they both got about 2 years in prison and his telling only assured that the other guy would be going to jail also. His response was that he had a young son who needed his father and that he made the right choice for him and his family. I asked him was he thinking about his family when he jumped in the car with the pistol. So many people are willing to take penitentiary chances but when its time to pay the piper they would make deals with the Devil.