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About this quote

What does it mean?
It is safer to risk freeing a guilty person than punishing an innocent one.
In plain terms
Better to let a criminal go than to condemn an innocent person.
What can you take from it?
Protect the innocent even if it means freeing the guilty.

Where it applies

  • legal trials
  • criminal justice reform
  • moral dilemmas

Putting it to work

  • advocate for presumption of innocence
  • review wrongful convictions

Questions to consider

  • What is the cost of error?
  • Which justice principle matters most?

Another view

This risks letting dangerous offenders remain free.

More from Voltaire

  1. Les habiles tyrans ne sont jamais punis.

    Permalink to quote #17
  2. Qui plume a, guerre a.

    Permalink to quote #19
  3. Qui sert bien son pays n'a pas besoin d'aieux.

    Permalink to quote #16

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