Michael Haas is a good person and prosecutor. Jefferson County is lucky to have an elected prosecutor who has done both defense and prosecution creating a progressive view of the criminal justice system.

Most importantly, Haas is not part of the Jefferson County frat boy mentality. Just look at the backlash that is out there because of the change that Haas has made to the culture of the prosecutors’ office in Jefferson County.

People talk about the turnover under Haas’ administration. Haas’ changes in policy and culture are why there was turnover. There were no female prosecutors in the office when Michael took over and now the two senior felony prosecutors are both females.

At the same time, the new policy is to prosecute sex offenses even if the only evidence is the testimony of the victims. The number of sex offense prosecutions has more than doubled. The new culture under Haas is to believe the victims.

Michael Haas also supports #BlackLivesMatter, which is a movement to hold police accountable for unjustified police brutality and arrests of black people in America. The prosecutor makes the decision if a police officer is going to be held legally accountable. Only a prosecutor who is not part of the frat boy mentality can stand up and do what is right when institutional change is needed.

Bad prosecutors punish crimes, rack up convictions, and incarcerate defendants - only serving to give defendant’s a “Criminal Master’s Degree.” Good prosecutors find solutions to underlying problems and fight the disease, not the symptom. Haas supports therapeutic courts. Under Haas’ policies, as compared to his predecessor, the number of drug court graduates in Jefferson County has doubled. Michael Haas is the good kind of prosecutor.

James Lilley

Port Ludlow