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About this quote

What does it mean?
Baum argues that rehabilitation is more beneficial to society than punishment or destruction.
In plain terms
Fixing a bad person helps society more than destroying them.
What can you take from it?
Rehabilitation is better than punishment.

Where it applies

  • criminal justice
  • conflict resolution
  • policy

Putting it to work

  • support reform
  • seek reconciliation
  • prioritize education

Questions to consider

  • Is every crime redeemable?
  • How do we balance justice and mercy?

Another view

Some offenses may be too severe for redemption to be practical.

More from L. Frank Baum

  1. I think the world is like a great mirror, and reflects our lives just as we ourselves look upon it. Those who turn sad faces toward the world find only sadness…

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  2. 'They're mostly foreigners, Mr. Merrick, who haven't yet fully mastered the English language. But,' he added, thoughtfully, 'a few among them might subscribe, …

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  3. In fact, Mr. Watson, it's a queer world, and the longer I live in it the queerer I find it. Once I thought it would be a good idea to regulate things myself an…

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