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The "Should Good People be Prosecutors" panel is actually a thing that is happening

We were all reminded that we live in Berkeley today, when students received an e-mail from the BCCJ regarding an upcoming panel titled "Should Good People be Prosecutors?" I work at a District Attorney's office, but as an irredeemably evil asshole with nary a speck of soul within him, I guess I am unqualified to answer this question. Still, I can't help but hope the panel consists entirely of one justifiably indignant guy saying, "Um, yes, of course. Why the fuck would you even ask that?"

I am certain some commenters will point out the political difficulties associated with prosecution. I am sure Paul Butler, the former federal prosecutor and current law professor hosting the discussion, will present some convincing evidence of how totally screwed up our justice system has become. I will probably even agree with most of his views on the problem. But if his solution is honestly that "good people" should simply abandon prosecution and seek employment elsewhere, that seems as shortsighted as suggesting that they abandon politics because of Watergate. No matter how messed up a system gets, ANY office is better filled with "good people" than "bad people"--if we are even willing to reduce ourselves to such comic book morality. (Make sure you join us for next week's BCCJ panel: "Should Good People work for Dr. Doom?")

In fact, as the justice system begins to address issues like the prison crisis and the increasingly obvious failure of the drug war, the apparently rare "good person" in a prosecutor's office will likely prove an indispensable ally to policy activists like Paul Butler. Even now, while legislative changes remain out of reach despite the best efforts of folks like Mr Butler, it is largely good people exercising the enormous power of prosecutorial discretion that keeps the situation from getting any worse. Because trust me, the penal code is much less friendly than even the worst D.A.'s office.

I guess the real question here is, "Should people whose politics have completely blinded them to reality host discussion panels?" Find out this Friday!

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Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on April 21, 2010 (boomark / email).