4 ms·

I definitely think lack of reporting is at least partially to blame. It's even become an extremely common trope for cop/law enforcement in shows to have jokes a

by Zircom 5y ago

I definitely think lack of reporting is at least partially to blame. It's even become an extremely common trope for cop/law enforcement in shows to have jokes and bits that riff off how useless they are with preventing and solving property and theft/robbery crimes. Anecdotally I had my bike stolen a few months ago and last year my car was broken into and my laptop/dashcam/wallet stolen, and didn't call the cops because as you said I know exactly how useless they are for that kind of stuff.

malandrew 5y ago
well part of the problem, in Seattle at least, is that even when they do catch the people responsible, the DA is pressured by the city council and mayors office to generally release people who go on to re-offend. I have friends on the police force in Seattle and they lament that there is no point in arresting certain people for property crime because they just get released. It just becomes a waste of their time with the paperwork and showing up to court for nothing to come of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70WWBlw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70WWBlw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijoL3Hy_Bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijoL3Hy_Bw
- wearywanderer 5y ago
  > the DA is pressured by the city council and mayors office I don't understand this; the King County Prosecuting Attorney was elected, just as the mayor and city council were. Why should any of them be able to pressure the others when they're all 'hired' by the people, not each other? And if the people of King County elect ideologically compromised mayors and city councils, isn't it likely they elect politically compromised DAs too? I do believe crime is under-reported in this city because it goes unpunished. But I'm just not buying this "DAs as victims" narrative. I think they're as much to blame as the other elected officials.

by Zircom 5y ago

malandrew 5y ago

well part of the problem, in Seattle at least, is that even when they do catch the people responsible, the DA is pressured by the city council and mayors office to generally release people who go on to re-offend. I have friends on the police force in Seattle and they lament that there is no point in arresting certain people for property crime because they just get released. It just becomes a waste of their time with the paperwork and showing up to court for nothing to come of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70WWBlw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70WWBlw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijoL3Hy_Bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WijoL3Hy_Bw

wearywanderer 5y ago
> the DA is pressured by the city council and mayors office I don't understand this; the King County Prosecuting Attorney was elected, just as the mayor and city council were. Why should any of them be able to pressure the others when they're all 'hired' by the people, not each other? And if the people of King County elect ideologically compromised mayors and city councils, isn't it likely they elect politically compromised DAs too? I do believe crime is under-reported in this city because it goes unpunished. But I'm just not buying this "DAs as victims" narrative. I think they're as much to blame as the other elected officials.