Suitably Flip

I'm All For Reducing the Size Of Government...

But the prosecution of crime seems like one of those functions we oughta hang onto.

It's Broken Windows theory in reverse.

Don’t even bother submitting the cases, [District Attorney Robert] Kochly said Monday in a memo to the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs Association. “If they are submitted, they will be screened out by category by support staff and returned to your department without review by a deputy district attorney,” he wrote…

Supervisor John Gioia, who represents Richmond, said the list of crimes that Kochly says he won’t prosecute is far longer now than what he told the board during its budget deliberations.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for the chief prosecutor in the county to inform the public at large what cases they’re not going to prosecute,” Gioia said…

Kochly said prosecutors will still consider charging suspects with certain misdemeanors, including domestic violence, driving under the influence, firearms offenses, vehicular manslauhter, sex crimes and assault with a deadly weapon.

(There's also a video.)

At least Kochly had the good sense to announce this policy to the general public.  Recessions can be stressful enough.  The criminal element, so often the hardest hit by economic strife, doesn't need to be further disquieted by fear of reprisal for their indiscretions, instigated in the first place by the likes of Jamie Dimon and Vikram Pandit.

Happily, Andrew Cuomo's office remains sufficiently well-heeled to pursue the real villains.

(HT: Hot Air)

Comments

I'm All For Reducing the Size Of Government...

But the prosecution of crime seems like one of those functions we oughta hang onto.

It's Broken Windows theory in reverse.

Don’t even bother submitting the cases, [District Attorney Robert] Kochly said Monday in a memo to the Contra Costa County Police Chiefs Association. “If they are submitted, they will be screened out by category by support staff and returned to your department without review by a deputy district attorney,” he wrote…

Supervisor John Gioia, who represents Richmond, said the list of crimes that Kochly says he won’t prosecute is far longer now than what he told the board during its budget deliberations.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for the chief prosecutor in the county to inform the public at large what cases they’re not going to prosecute,” Gioia said…

Kochly said prosecutors will still consider charging suspects with certain misdemeanors, including domestic violence, driving under the influence, firearms offenses, vehicular manslauhter, sex crimes and assault with a deadly weapon.

(There's also a video.)

At least Kochly had the good sense to announce this policy to the general public.  Recessions can be stressful enough.  The criminal element, so often the hardest hit by economic strife, doesn't need to be further disquieted by fear of reprisal for their indiscretions, instigated in the first place by the likes of Jamie Dimon and Vikram Pandit.

Happily, Andrew Cuomo's office remains sufficiently well-heeled to pursue the real villains.

(HT: Hot Air)