In 28 years as district attorney of Cumberland County, Stephanie Anderson has seen more than her share of humanity at its worst. Her office handles about ten thousand cases a year--assaults, thefts, rapes, robberies and more. It’s a grim workload to face week after week, month after month, so I asked her how she’s handled it for so long—longer than any other D.A. in Maine--without burning out.
“I just don’t take it home,” she said. “I think there’s a couple of principles. Number one, you have to stay in your lane.” Part of staying in her lane is recognizing that there are some things she can control in the justice system and a lot of things she can’t. “I can lead a horse to water, but I can’t make him drink. I’ve tried to get many people into substance abuse treatment and I can’t make them want to do it.”
At the end of December, Anderson will step down as district attorney. She has loved the job, but decided she didn’t want to commit to another four-year term. When she walks out the door for the final time, she’ll leave with no regrets or second guessing of what might have been. The verdicts that didn’t go her way won’t haunt her. “You do the right thing,” she said, “and the result is not up to you.”