With the law books filled with a great assortment of…
“With the law books filled with a great assortment of crimes, a prosecutor stands a fair chance of finding at least a technical violation of some act on the part of almost anyone. In such a case, it is not a question of discovering the commission of a crime and then looking for the man who has committed it, it is a question of picking the man and then searching the law books, or putting investigators to work, to pin some offense on him.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Legal systems can be twisted to target individuals by searching for any technical breach rather than proving actual wrongdoing.
In simple terms: Law can be used to find crimes where none exist.
Key Takeaway
Beware of over‑reliance on technicalities.
Themes
justice
law
ethics
power
abuse
Mood
cautious
critical
serious
Type
legal
analytical
warning
When to use this quote
- criminal defense
- policy reform
- human rights advocacy
- judicial training
Key Concepts
legal manipulation
procedural abuse
selective prosecution
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure laws target genuine harm?
- What safeguards prevent selective prosecution?
A Different Perspective
It ignores the need for substantive evidence and can erode public trust.