Come mid-August, Kitsap County will have a new lawyer to oversee public defense in Kitsap County. And while we’ve announced the county’s hiring of Clarke Tibbits for the post, I wanted to learn a little more about this North Central Washington lawyer that will bring his expertise westward starting in August. Here’s a brief interview with him.

His position is the result of a growing amount of state grant money to “enhance” indigent defense in counties around the state. Kitsap County Clerk Dave Peterson chose to hire a top public defender after reading a consultant’s report on how Kitsap should best spend the money. Unfortunately, the county’s first choice to lead the post didn’t work out. And enter Mr. Tibbits.

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The light drizzle came down on many parts of Kitsap this morning was likely met with the sighs of locals. “Mother Nature,” some likely wondered, “can you not spare our precious post-Fourth of July heat wave even for two days?”

And there may be more rain later in the week, too.

And so in anticipation for such summer precipitation, let me give you some reasons why a little drizzle is not worth dreading.

Aside from the obvious plus of summer rain — keeping our forests from burning up — it appears such showers can deter crime.

Rain, it seems, goes a long way in cooling heads. The summer heat can actually move people to commit horrible crimes, according to a recent New York Times story. ” … The prime time for murder is clear: summertime,” the story said. “Indeed, it is close to a constant, one hammered home painfully from June to September across the decades.”

I can think of one big reason homicides — indeed, all violent crimes — would decrease with the rain. People are more likely to stay inside, and thus, avoid confrontations with strangers.

What do you make of the Times’ theory? Does our rain help bring down crime?

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