[arthurus]

Actually the hard left overtly and the softer left quietly consider criminals to be “social allies” in Lenin’s words, useful for intimidating the bourgeoisie and far less dangerous than people with uncorrect thoughts.

[from occupied ga]

useful for intimidating the bourgeoisie and far less dangerous than people with uncorrect thoughts

That would explain why criminals are coddled and protected from the citizenry in the northeast (though technically speaking I guess MD is mid-Atlantic.)