Criminals as Agents

 

Agents should be criminals. Criminals shouldn't be Agents.

Allow me to explain.

Criminals are an additional (read: optional) profession for a reason. For every justification a player could have for playing a criminal, there's usually a corresponding profession in the federal government that would meet their needs. For example, say Player A wants to play a professional breaking-and-entering expert with skills in lockpicking. The alternative would be to play a black bag specialist for one of any number of intelligence or law enforcement agencies. If their reason ultimately comes down to not wanting to play a member of the government, they're failing to engage with a core tenet of the game and the setting in its current form. This doesn't necessarily apply to previous (dare I say "pulpier") editions of Delta Green or different operational timelines (like the Cowboy Era).

Criminals are, by their very nature, control issues. They're commonly anti-authority, which for obvious reasons should be a problem for Outlaw and Program leadership alike. They traditionally don't play well with others, and they can be expected to make decisions based solely on their own potential gain. This is a problem when working with a working group or cell, where often the only backup and resources you have are each other. Delta Green can promise lessened charges or freedom in exchange for assistance, but narratively, what is it that this individual criminal can do that any trained, experienced member of an intelligence or law enforcement agency cannot? What makes them so special to warrant that kind of special treatment?

This is why I think criminals are best used for one-and-done operations, where they can be treated as the expendable asset they are. They do the dirty work that a standard member of Delta Green can't get caught doing, and they ultimately don't walk away from it due to their knowledge of the conspiracy. There are no long-term issues to consider, and the risk of compromise or exposure is minimized.

Coercion is the proverbial "easy button," where Delta Green force's the criminal's cooperation by either threatening them with more prison time or holding their record or true identity over their head. But all this does is create a ticking time bomb of resentment that will inevitably blow up in Delta Green's face. If a criminal is to be used, because there is absolutely no one else in the federal government that can do what they do, they should be a True Believer in Delta Green's mission (this removes resentment and coercion from the table and ensures the criminal is "all in" moving forward) and have already done their time in prison (if applicable) or otherwise reformed. Granted, this presents a whole host of other issues. For example, if the criminal's cover is compromised and local law enforcement runs a check, they now know these federal agents in their backyard are working with a known felon using false credentials.

As a Handler, there are too many hoops to jump through to make this work in a way that makes sense to me. Agents in Delta Green are by their very nature criminals; ethics don't come into play with what they're asked to do. But bringing a criminal on board already establishes an element of distrust within the group. Distrust and paranoia are part of the game, but in my opinion should occur naturally as a result of decisions the Agents make in the field. A criminal is already starting off on the back foot. This might make for roleplay material, but at what cost? At any point in time, they can blow the Agents' cover or do something in furtherance of their own objectives, which again would be a problem for the Program and the Outlaws (unless they're a True Believer, as mentioned previously).

As soon as a criminal is brought on board to Delta Green, in whatever form it takes at your table, they immediately begin acquiring knowledge they can use to harm the organization. If Delta Green reneges on a deal they previously made, or the criminal is caught and fed to the wolves, what stops them from offering what they know in exchange for a potential deal? Granted, at that point, they'd just be targeted for assassination either before or after they're incarcerated. But if they're a hardened criminal, they've undoubtedly fought off attempts on their life before and have likely run up against some of the worst criminal organizations in existence (for example, a Mexican cartel like Los Zetas). A white-collar criminal would be more responsive to threats on their life and thus easier to manipulate, but hardened criminals don't scare easy.

Finally, criminals are less likely to be able to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" when blending in with their federal agent counterparts and interacting with local law enforcement. They're going to stand out for all the wrong reasons. The sole exception might be a professional con man, but in that case, just play an Intelligence Case Officer. Same skills, different applications.

To summarize, from a narrative standpoint, it's too much risk vs. reward for the Program. The Outlaws may not have a choice due to their manpower challenges, but a one-and-done use is probably better suited for a criminal as opposed to long term operations.

All that to say...if you still want to play a criminal and your Handler allows it, go nuts and have fun. This is just my personal preference, and an explanation for why I'm not a fan of the concept.

As always, let me know if you have any questions or if there's anything you'd like me to discuss further!

Be seeing you,
Vince