Crime and Justice as depicted in Warrior

There are few crime and justice TV series as thrilling as Warrior . The show first aired in 2019 on Cinemax and has continued for two seasons although it was never renewed for a third season. The plot revolves around the exploits of Ah Sahm, a Chinese immigrant trained in martial arts who settles in San Francisco at a time when Chinese crime gangs, known as tongs, have established their trade and divided the area into several jurisdictions. Most prominent are the Hop Wei Tong headed by Father Jun, the Long Zii Tong and the Fung Hai Tong. It is set in the 1850s San Francisco whereby the Chinese immigrants face severe opposition from the Irish immigrants who are concerned because the Chinese are taking jobs meant for the Irish. The police are also involved in attempting to quell any violence that might erupt either amongst the Tongs or between the Irish and the Chinese. Moreover, crime rates are high especially in Chinatown as Tongs struggle to secure their territories and protect their business from rivals. The show is a perfect depiction of the struggle between crime and justice and the dynamics that often play out in many criminal justice settings.

One of the major impressions left by the TV series is that personal interests are a major hindrance to justice. In fact, watching the series may help the audience understand why criminals may continue to perpetrate crimes without being caught or prosecuted. Moreover, criminal cases may go on in courts for years while the criminals are free on bail. From the events in the TV series, it is deductible that justice is often dependent on the interests of the most powerful stakeholders involved. In Warrior , the crime rates in San Francisco are high due to the gang rivalry between the Tongs (Tropper et al., 2019). The police are mandated to fight all forms of crime. However, it is clear that the police have not cracked down on the Tongs illegal business which includes arms trade and drug sale. Murder in Chinatown is fairly common but the police rarely catch the killers (Tropper et al., 2019). On closer scrutiny, however, there are individuals who are benefitting from the lawlessness and disorder, chief of whom is the city’s deputy mayor who is conspiring to cause more havoc by starting a war between the Tongs (Tropper et al., 2019). Given that the city’s police operate under the jurisdiction of the Mayor’s office, then it is difficult for them to fight crime while the same crime that the deputy mayor is fueling (Tropper et al., 2019). The cause is self-defeating.

There is often a lot of collaboration and collusion between law enforcement officers and criminals especially in areas where crime is rampant. Criminal gangs either pay off the police for their cooperation or find ways to blackmail them and bend them to their will. The compromise of law enforcement officers is one of the chief reasons why crime is often difficult to fight. This is clearly evident in the show. Officer O’Hara is charged with leading the Chinatown Squad, supposedly formed to combat Chinese gang activity in the streets of Chinese strongholds. Officer O’Hara is, however, a gambling addict with a large but young family who depend on him as the sole breadwinner, a common scenario in the 19th century (Tropper et al., 2019). He is therefore easily lured by money and often works for the very criminals he is tasked to apprehend. In one scene, he attempts to quit his debt collection duties for the Fung Hai Tong, but quickly rescinds his decision after the Tong’s leader bribes him (Tropper et al., 2019). His wife is aware of possible foul play and often confronts him but he brushed away the issue. 

One of the most prevalent issues in the show is the role of racism in execution of justice. Racism in the justice circles remains an emotive national issue to date, and one in which extensive research has been conducted. In the show, there is a clear rivalry between the Irish and the Chinese (Tropper et al., 2019). The Irish immigrants, many of who fought in the war, detest the influx of the “Chinamen.” Mr. Leary, an Irish crime gang leader will do anything to make sure the “Chinamen” are sent back to their land (Tropper et al., 2019). The police are mostly Irish and are clearly biased against the Chinese. The only factor that preserves the Chinese and helps them avoid prosecution is the language barrier that exists. In one scene, Ah Sam has been arrested and put in a police cell. Mr. Leary enters an arrangement with the police to allow his goons into the cell and kill Ah Sahm, However, Ah Sahm overpowers the goons and is soon released (Tropper et al., 2019). One gets the impression that such arrangements were common and Chinese remandees would often “disappear.” 

In conclusion, Warrior clearly brings out the difficulties faced in attempting to prevent and eliminate crime. There are numerous factors that often stand in the way of justice such as the interests of parties involved, corruption and collusion of police officers with criminals, prejudice, discrimination and racial bias. The show paints a clear picture of the dynamics at play especially in areas where gangs and crime mobs are rampant. One of the key impressions was that integrity may be the single most important factor when dealing with crime. It is impossible to curb crime and serve justice if the enforcers are susceptible to compromise as is often the case. There is also an ecosystem in which crime thrives, especially one in which compromise of police officers is also rampant. It is also notable that politicians do not often have the welfare of the people at heart, and will do whatever is necessary to ascend to or retain power.

Reference

Tropper, J., Lee, S., & Lin, J. (2019-2020) Warrior [TV series] . Cinemax.