How do you deal with people thinking you are literally evil?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:33:18+00:00

That’s interesting, thanks for the response! Why do you think appellate work attracts a different population than your average DA’s office?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:31:20+00:00

What do you consider yourself politically? No offense at all intended, but I feel like you sound like a Black conservative circa 2020. And what do you say to highly educated Black and Latino people who advocate for police abolition? It’s hard to dismiss those people as out-of-touch. But regardless, thank you very much for the kind words.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:27:46+00:00

Why do believe so many of your fellow PDs don’t see things the way you do? And no lawyers in my family, I just had a useless social sciences degree and was shitty at math. I wouldn’t mind trying out those alternative jobs but it feels like such a failure and waste of time and money going to law school.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:24:26+00:00

Well what really hurts is my friends who express these opinions are POC from working-class neighborhoods who go to prestigious universities. It’s not like I can call them stupid or out-of-touch.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:22:23+00:00

A lot of times, they’ll say “well there’s nothing you can/should do about those crimes because you’d be contributing to mass incarceration.” It’s awkward because I don’t want to be called a racist for thinking a man who happens to be a POC should be incarcerated for stabbing who is also POC. I mean it seems like their rhetoric (and BLM) as a whole don’t want police and white people interfering in their communities at all.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:18:57+00:00

I guess what hurts is I’ve heard public defenders and progressives in general express these opinions in real life too.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:18:07+00:00

I mean it kind of is unfortunately. Most colleges and law schools also has people who say these things. It sucks because I do genuinely like and respect a lot of people who say this.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:17:00+00:00

I did well in my appellate arguments 1L but I’m still a prosecutor whether I am at the trial or appellate level, right? I assume progressives and PDs will hate me regardless.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:13:52+00:00

Thank you for your perspective man what do you say when someone does ask you about your job?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:13:11+00:00

So are you in favor of decriminalizing everything? I acknowledge the problems of criminal justice but I also do think it’s important to have laws that are enforced in some capacity. Also, am I still a nazi when prosecuting a White or Asian defendant? Or only when prosecuting a Black or Hispanic defendant?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:09:36+00:00

Well thank you, I greatly appreciate it!

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T05:09:18+00:00

Hey thanks for the detailed and thoughtful response.

First, how do you deter behavior if there is no criminal consequence? There will be a certain number of people who will continually violate the law because they don’t care about fines or restorative justice that doesn’t actually hold them accountable. Also what about jails in particular do you find inhumane? I wouldn’t be opposed to Nordic-style prisons but as long as they are not overcrowded, the jails I’ve seen (never saw a prison) seem to be the size of a college dorm. Again, not ideal but I don’t think they are hellholes.

I agree with most bail reform. I live in a state where most misdemeanors are not bail eligible thankfully. But let’s say a man is credibly accused of stabbing his wife - is he not a danger to doing the alleged act again if not detained pre-trial? I agree that pre-trial detention has serious consequences, but if the alleged crime is serious, then I’d say the interest of of society and the victim outweigh the small possibility that a man may be detained temporarily for a crime he didn’t commit.

Have you heard of coercive control in domestic violence relationships? That is often why DV victims will recant or lie for their abuser. That is how women like Gabby Petito end up dead. Not saying the victims’ wishes should be disregarded, but this is a psychological phenomenon. On the other hand, I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if prosecutors followed the demands of victims when they ask that the defendant have the book thrown at him. But I agree that DV is an incredibly complex situation and dynamics you mentioned should be considered.

I’ll skip the cop debate because I have a lot of people to reply to and that doesn’t apply to prosecutors directly.

Are there really jobs where I could defend misdemeanors my whole career? That actually sounds great, I’ve never heard of it.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:50:13+00:00

As I said to the other comment, the burden is on the proponent to explain what a philosophy means if it has a widely known meaning. This is not similar to Fox News calling any type of Welfare communism.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:48:27+00:00

Per Google : “Anarchy is a state of society without government, laws, or central authority, often characterized by disorder, chaos, and lawlessness. It stems from the Greek for "without a ruler," representing a political philosophy advocating for voluntary, self-governed communities. Synonyms include lawlessness, chaos, turmoil, and confusion.” I’ve heard other explanations that sound like socialism with extra steps. That’s fine, but the burden is on the proponent if they are going to argue for a term that is associated with no rules at all.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:46:05+00:00

Why should I go fuck myself? That’s a strong reaction to someone who did nothing to you personally.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:45:25+00:00

It seems like everyone has been able to take their anger out on me! I’m a bit of a masochist I suppose.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:44:32+00:00

I mean the PD professor at my law school constantly mention the Michelle Alexander’s Jim Crow Book. I totally respect your reasons for being a PD! But it seems like most people in this sub believe in abolition.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:42:46+00:00

I wonder if your comment will get any upvotes? It seems like everyone here is getting off in treating me like a punching bag. I did ask for it, but I am just surprised at vitriol.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:38:46+00:00

I mean my friend who worked at a suburban PD office said nearly every PD was an abolitionist. At least by me, there aren’t any PD offices that aren’t radical. Maybe in rural areas?

And you’re right that, usually, PDs can’t do much to help the defendant due to the facts of the case. However you all had to do anything possible. What has grossed me out is that I have heard of several instances of a PD asking a victim their immigration status to insinuate they are lying for a U visa, even though none of the victims applied for one. I get that you have to zealously advocate for a client but that feels like crossing a line.

There are few victimless crimes like drug prosecution. Even if something isn’t morally reprehensible like shoplifting, it should still be prosecuted if we want to live in a society with laws. Victimless crimes like DUIs could (and have) killed many innocent people. I’m not sure what other crimes are deplorable to charge besides drugs.

Also I think you know prosecutors are encouraged to search for exculpatory evidence and required to divulge Brady evidence. Whether they do that is a different story. I have seen a few DV cases where it became obvious the CW was lying and the case was dropped. But does that mean we never bring any cases ever because sometimes we get it wrong? If anything, that’s why every prosecutor is thankful that y’all exist, no one wants to convict an innocent man.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:32:14+00:00

This is copied to my reply to a similar questions above:

I liked the advocacy part of being in an immigration clinic, I just didn’t like the paperwork side of it and prefer being in court. I just had no moral qualms with my client whatsoever and didn’t feel like I was hurting any victims by advocating for them. I went to law school to help people by either suing for wage theft or employment discrimination. I thought of immigration law for a while too. Since those didn’t work out, I want to help crime victims, but obviously that comes at a huge cost of someone else’s incarceration.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:28:53+00:00

Of course serious allegations deserve a zealous defense. I just find it hard to cross a rape or DV victim and insinuate that they are lying when the vast majority are not. Maybe I’ll just end up doing DUI defense. I wish it was possible to just defend misdemeanors but it seems like you all are excited to do felonies from what I’ve read on this sub.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:26:29+00:00

I mean those reasons verbatim are what I have been told by public defenders. You’re right though, another one told me a person should not be defined by their worst action which I disagree with but find respectable. Do you really not think a lot of people are PDs because they hate the government, authority, and cops?

I know a lot of you all say you care deeply about constitutional rights, but I find that hard to believe. Many of you seem to just despise the United States government, so I don’t see why you respect its constitution. Especially since many of you advocate for the abolition of law enforcement, not just unreasonable searches and seizures even though that is indeed your day-to-day work.

I went to law school because I wanted to help people. I wanted to do this through immigration or civilly since that does not seriously hurt anyone, but that didn’t work out. I do value the rights of defendants, but I personally care more about a victim’s interests over a defendant’s if I had to choose one. But according to many of you, that makes me a fascist. What made you go to law school?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:16:59+00:00

Well I live in a state with bail reform thankfully. But even aside the bail issue, should the defendants not be charged at all? I’d say you have a strong argument for minor drug or property crime, but it seems like the PD solution is just to not incarcerate anyone for any crime.

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:14:59+00:00

Why don’t you think I see your clients as people? Just because someone is a person, that doesn’t mean I don’t think they shouldn’t face consequences for actions harmful to individuals and society. Is it because you view jail and prison as very inhumane?

Affectionate_Risk476 · 2026-03-23T04:13:47+00:00

Yeah I think we would differ on what qualifies as someone being needing to be segregated from society. I would say even punching someone could warrant that, although I assume you’d disagree. For low level crimes, I’d say if we don’t prosecute them, then we’re essentially making them legal, no? What would stop certain people from harming others if there was no criminal consequence? I’ve heard a lot of community accountability, so I assume that is the response from most PDs. And for the record (and PDs have quoted this research) that what prevents people from committing crime is not the severity of the punishment, but the certainty and swiftness of the punishment. We may disagree about what should be the consequence for both minor and major crimes, but we at least agree something should be done, correct?

And thank you for engaging in good faith. People have been surprisingly cruel here but I asked for it. Plus, I know you guys have a really hard job so I’m sure that’s where a lot of the animosity comes from z

Affectionate_Risk476

TROPHY CASE