"It's nice to have power instead of outrage."
- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.
Brilliant!
I haven't lived in the USA for a while, so forgive me if this is all new news for me. I was hooked from the very first scene in which Krasner and his team are in the process of ending "stupid" which in this case consisted of completely draconian laws regarding victimless crimes (minor drug possession and prostitution).
Krasner's basic philosophy is to end incarceration for petty crimes and use the money for other, more beneficial programs. If anyone still believes that we aren't putting enough people in jail in America, perhaps they would be more comfortable living in a dictatorship?
Krasner just seems like a really decent human being. He has been married to the same woman for three decades. He is committed and idealistic. OMG, the conservatives must totally hate him for that.
Ever since I was probably sixteen years old, I've felt that where a person stands on the death penalty is a litmus test for character and consistency. Krasner ran and won partly on his views against capital punishment. Obviously, many people in Philadelphia agree with him.
Too much weight has been given to John McNesby, the FOP chairman and a disgusting slob of a human being, not just because of his appearance, but for his Neanderthal views on the criminal justice system. McNesby claims that Krasner was never pro-law enforcement. A district attorney doesn't have to be pro-law enforcement, especially if he doesn't agree with the corrupt and racist practices of that department.
The former supervisor of the D. A. Juvenile Division was shown repeated on camera in direct opposition to the policies of the incoming new District Attorney, yet she seems surprised when she is replaced. Get with the program, lady, or hit the streets. The DA is a political appointment, he has to win an election which means he is going to be held accountable by the people who vote him in. He would be failing to serve the public if he allowed someone like her to sabotage his administration and their mission.
It's unbelievable that many people within the law enforcement system in Philadelphia wouldn't even give Krasner's policies a chance, like that bald judge shown in the series, for example. He claims he's been doing his job for thirty years...he says this without even a trace of irony as he presides over a completely failed system.
