--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would be one thing if we could say the…" description: "\"It would be one thing if we could say the system works [in Illinois], and that individuals followed procedures and were found innocent, but in fact in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/jan-schakowsky-3618_cases_it-would-be-one-thing-if-we-could-say-th_3213697.png" --- # It would be one thing if we could say the system works \[in… ![“It would be one thing if we could say the system works [in Illinois], and that individuals followed procedures and were found innocent, but in fact in all the cases it was really a fluke ... We find persistent wrongdoing on the part of law enforcement. It's really sheer luck that those convicted…” quote by Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/jan-schakowsky-3618_cases_it-would-be-one-thing-if-we-could-say-th_3213697.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/jan-schakowsky-3618_cases_it-would-be-one-thing-if-we-could-say-th_3213697.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/628/jan-schakowsky-3618_cases_it-would-be-one-thing-if-we-could-say-th_3213697.png) > “It would be one thing if we could say the system works \[in Illinois\], and that individuals followed procedures and were found innocent, but in fact in all the cases it was really a fluke ... We find persistent wrongdoing on the part of law enforcement. It's really sheer luck that those convicted of these \[capital\] crimes were exonerated in the end.” [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights systemic failures in law enforcement, noting that rare exonerations mask widespread misconduct. **In simple terms:** Police misconduct is common; rare justice is a fluke. Key Takeaway Advocate for systemic reform and accountability. Themes justice law enforcement systemic failure accountability Mood concerned critical urgent Type speech political When to use this quote - court cases - police oversight - civil rights advocacy Key Concepts misconduct exoneration institutional bias Questions to Reflect On - What reforms can prevent misconduct? - How to increase transparency? A Different Perspective Relying on occasional exonerations ignores ongoing harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capital Crimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-crimes-242555/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Convicted Capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convicted-capital-4725482/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Crimes Exonerated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimes-exonerated-6014765/) [Death penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-penalty/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcement/) [Exonerated End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exonerated-end-6014767/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Flukes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flukes/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Illinois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illinois/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-enforcement/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistent/) [Procedures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procedures/) [Procedures Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procedures-innocent-6014766/) [Sheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheer/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Wrongdoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrongdoing/) ## Related quotes > [In the US the overwhelming majority of those executed are psychotic, alcoholic, drug addicted or mentally unstable. 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