--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the system turns away from the abuses…" description: "\"If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?\" — Michael Connelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg" --- # If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the… ![“If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?” quote by Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg) > “If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?” [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If justice ignores the guilty, innocent victims become vulnerable. **In simple terms:** Ignoring wrongdoers harms the innocent. Key Takeaway Protect the innocent by holding the guilty accountable. Themes justice ethics victimhood Mood serious reflective Type ethical literary When to use this quote - court trials - police investigations - community safety Key Concepts accountability law morality Questions to Reflect On - Who decides who is guilty? - How can we prevent innocent suffering? A Different Perspective Legal systems can be flawed or biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Innocents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocents/) ## Related quotes > [A guilty system recognizes no innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/a-guilty-system-recognizes-no-innocents/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [I was once so Innocent once so young once so stupid once so gullible once so care free It Truly Only Take's Once !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destinysmith/i-was-once-so-innocent-once-so-young-once-so-stupid-once-so-gullible/) Destinysmith > [“Madam, if I were Herod in the middle Of the massacre of the innocents, I'd pause Just to consider the confusion of your imagery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/madam-if-i-were-herod-in-the-middle-of-the-massacre-of-the-innocents/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [“Never had we ever kissed as lovers; if we touched lips it was as brother and sister. In one moment of emotion, our lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/never-had-we-ever-kissed-as-lovers-if-we-touched-lips-it-was-as/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“There are no innocents in our world. We are born tainted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-karr/there-are-no-innocents-in-our-world-we-are-born-tainted/) [Autumn Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-karr/) > [I believe that many of my young guys lived because I didn't waste their lives because I didn't have the vision in my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-believe-that-many-of-my-young-guys-lived-because-i-didn-t-waste/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [We in Congress must take action to keep assault weapons and high-capacity clips out of the hands of those who are so dangerous or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregorio-sablan/we-in-congress-must-take-action-to-keep-assault-weapons-and-high/) Gregorio Sablan > [“Scourges assumed authority they had not been granted. They made a carefully reasoned decision to kill in greater numbers than were absolutely necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/scourges-assumed-authority-they-had-not-been-granted-they-made-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Brute force is not our salvation, especially as directed by State central planning and done with little regard for the innocents...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-gregory/brute-force-is-not-our-salvation-especially-as-directed-by-state/) [Anthony Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-gregory/) > [There are no innocents. There are, however, different degrees of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-no-innocents-there-are-however-different-degrees-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's how the English run their courts. They sacrifice innocents, thinking to keep evil at bay, and call it a kind of justice. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/it-s-how-the-english-run-their-courts-they-sacrifice-innocents/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) > [No cause, no God, no abstract idea can justify the mass slaughter of innocents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/no-cause-no-god-no-abstract-idea-can-justify-the-mass-slaughter-of/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [“From the mouths of the innocents flows truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/from-the-mouths-of-the-innocents-flows-truth/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) > [There are no innocents in Gaza, don't let any diplomats who want to look good in the world endanger your lives - mow them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-ari/there-are-no-innocents-in-gaza-don-t-let-any-diplomats-who-want-to/) Michael Ben-Ari > [“You know you've found love when they have: a smile that melts you, an innocence that soothes, a presences that glows and a trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-harper/you-know-you-ve-found-love-when-they-have-a-smile-that-melts-you-an/) Kieran Harper ## More by Michael Connelly > [It's about being fair. It's about Black Lives Matter. Yes, they matter. Everybody counts or nobody counts, and I think if more cops had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/it-s-about-being-fair-it-s-about-black-lives-matter-yes-they-matter/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I love movies. Movies have influenced me as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-love-movies-movies-have-influenced-me-as-a-writer/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“There is no end of things in the heart. Somebody once told me that. She said it came from a poem she believed in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/there-is-no-end-of-things-in-the-heart-somebody-once-told-me-that-she/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I chose deliberately for Harry Bosch to age chronologically with the books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-chose-deliberately-for-harry-bosch-to-age-chronologically-with-the/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Are you okay?” he asked. “I’m fine, yeah,” she said. She wiped tears off her cheeks. “Somebody who totally fucked me over died today,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/are-you-okay-he-asked-i-m-fine-yeah-she-said-she-wiped-tears-off-her/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“At the bottom of the hill, after Boston College, the route passes St. Ignatius Church on the right. It was here that textile worker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/at-the-bottom-of-the-hill-after-boston-college-the-route-passes-st/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“He said no. He said, in very fine English, ‘I buy, I don’t sell.’ Then he escorted me out. But I think that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/he-said-no-he-said-in-very-fine-english-i-buy-i-don-t-sell-then-he/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Living in L.A. sometimes felt like you were riding shotgun with the devil to the apocalypse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/living-in-l-a-sometimes-felt-like-you-were-riding-shotgun-with-the/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“The paying jobs were few and she was often taken advantage of by the leeches who were part of the entertainment industry. But she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/the-paying-jobs-were-few-and-she-was-often-taken-advantage-of-by-the/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Lean in, invade that foot and a half that is all theirs, their own space. Lean back when you get what you want. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/lean-in-invade-that-foot-and-a-half-that-is-all-theirs-their-own/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I have a large collection of biographies about jazz musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-have-a-large-collection-of-biographies-about-jazz-musicians/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I was fired as an actor on 'Bosch.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-was-fired-as-an-actor-on-bosch/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [Maybe it has something to do with being a reporter for a long time that I don't look to newspapers and television and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/maybe-it-has-something-to-do-with-being-a-reporter-for-a-long-time/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [I was enamored of detectives as a teenager. I liked what they did - piecing things together, thinking about situations. But to get there?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/i-was-enamored-of-detectives-as-a-teenager-i-liked-what-they-did/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) [Explore all 306 Michael Connelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Connelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses-inflicted-on-the-guilty-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses-inflicted-on-the-guilty-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f8/michael-connelly-1004_abuse_if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses_389466.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the system turns away from the abuses inflicted on the guilty, then who can be next but the innocents?” — Michael Connelly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Connelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the system turns away from...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses-inflicted-on-the-guilty-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/if-the-system-turns-away-from-the-abuses-inflicted-on-the-guilty-then/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```