The New Yorker on “America’s Toughest Sheriff”

The July 20, 2009 issue of the New Yorker has a revealing story by William Finnegan on “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, who is no stranger to the ImmigrationProf blog.  It is not a particularly appealing portrait, with Arpaio coming across as something of a media hound who adheres to the view that “any press is good press” and issues press releases first, asks questions later.   Many local Arizona politicians do not come across as big fans.  In any event, the story leaves us uncertain whether the Sheriff’s office under Arpaio’s rule does much to fight crime rather than simply demean persons accused of and some convicted of crimes as well as get press for Sheriff Joe.

KJ