--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Leniency and mercy. Men set free despite…" description: "\"“Leniency and mercy. Men set free despite crimes, because they were good fathers, or well liked in the community, or in the favor of someone important...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/brandon-sanderson-112_compassion_leniency-and-mercy-men-set-free-despite_198518.jpg" --- # Leniency and mercy. Men set free despite crimes, because… ![“Leniency and mercy. Men set free despite crimes, because they were good fathers, or well liked in the community, or in the favor of someone important. “Some of those who are set free change their lives and go on to produce for society. Others recidivate and create great tragedies. The thing is…” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/brandon-sanderson-112_compassion_leniency-and-mercy-men-set-free-despite_198518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/brandon-sanderson-112_compassion_leniency-and-mercy-men-set-free-despite_198518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/brandon-sanderson-112_compassion_leniency-and-mercy-men-set-free-despite_198518.jpg) > ““Leniency and mercy. Men set free despite crimes, because they were good fathers, or well liked in the community, or in the favor of someone important. “Some of those who are set free change their lives and go on to produce for society. Others recidivate and create great tragedies. The thing is, Szeth son Neturo, we humans are terrible at spotting which will be which. The purpose of the law is so we do not have to choose. So our native sentimentality will not harm us.”” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The law must make decisions impartially because humans cannot reliably predict who will reform or reoffend. **In simple terms:** Law should be impartial, not based on personal feelings. Key Takeaway Rely on objective justice, not intuition. Themes justice law human bias rehabilitation recidivism Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - court sentencing - parole boards - policy making - community safety - rehabilitation programs Key Concepts ethical philosophy criminal justice societal risk Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve fairness in sentencing? - What safeguards prevent bias in parole decisions? A Different Perspective Human intuition often fails to accurately assess future behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Good father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-father/) [Good Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-fathers/) [Leniency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leniency/) [Leniency Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leniency-mercy-2079932/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Purpose Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-law-2079934/) [Set free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/set-free/) [Society Recidivate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-recidivate-2079933/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody ever asks men about the work-life balance, and I just find that interesting, because clearly, I would imagine most men also want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/nobody-ever-asks-men-about-the-work-life-balance-and-i-just-find-that/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [Good fathers not only tell us how to live, they show us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/good-fathers-not-only-tell-us-how-to-live-they-show-us/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I always tell people, good coaches are a dime a dozen. Good coaches that are good people, good husbands, good fathers, that love their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-always-tell-people-good-coaches-are-a-dime-a-dozen-good-coaches/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [“It appeared possible that these other men were good fathers only because they knew too little of the world to grow frenzied against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/it-appeared-possible-that-these-other-men-were-good-fathers-only/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“For all the pain you suffered, my mama. For all the torment of your past and future years, my mama. For all the anguish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/for-all-the-pain-you-suffered-my-mama-for-all-the-torment-of-your/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“Good fathers, and by that I mean real fathers who are there, have the ability to change almost every social problem we now find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/good-fathers-and-by-that-i-mean-real-fathers-who-are-there-have-the/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [Is it not the great end of religion, and, in particular, the glory of Christianity, to extinguish the malignant passions; to curb the violence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/is-it-not-the-great-end-of-religion-and-in-particular-the-glory-of/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Good fathers make good sons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-fathers-make-good-sons/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“for a moment, I stand in the doorway, watching the steady rise and fall of their chests. I listen to the gentle hum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-m-orgeron/for-a-moment-i-stand-in-the-doorway-watching-the-steady-rise-and-fall/) [Heather M. Orgeron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-m-orgeron/) > [Happy fathers day to all the good fathers, potential fathers, fathers working to become better fathers, fathers in heaven and THE Father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-fathers-day-to-all-the-good-fathers-potential-fathers-fathers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dad!” I said, trying to get his attention. “It is so official you are a bad father. Good fathers do not shoot their daughters!”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/dad-i-said-trying-to-get-his-attention-it-is-so-official-you-are-a/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [I want to congratulate all the men out there who are working diligently to be good fathers whether they are stepfathers, or biological fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/i-want-to-congratulate-all-the-men-out-there-who-are-working/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [“Although a million black men can be found in prisons and jails, public acknowledgment of the role of the criminal justice system in "disappearing"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/although-a-million-black-men-can-be-found-in-prisons-and-jails-public/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [The curse of fatherhood is distance, and the good fathers spend their lives trying to overcome it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-farrar/the-curse-of-fatherhood-is-distance-and-the-good-fathers-spend-their/) [Steve Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-farrar/) > [Average fathers have patience. Good fathers have more patience. Great fathers have an ocean of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-markham/average-fathers-have-patience-good-fathers-have-more-patience-great/) [Reed Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-markham/) ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. 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You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. 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If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. 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