--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is more dangerous that even a guilty…" description: "\"It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law than that he should escape.\" — Thomas Jefferson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_it-is-more-dangerous-that-even-a-guilty_1992883.jpg" --- # It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be… ![“It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law than that he should escape.” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_it-is-more-dangerous-that-even-a-guilty_1992883.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_it-is-more-dangerous-that-even-a-guilty_1992883.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/950/thomas-jefferson-43_dangerous_it-is-more-dangerous-that-even-a-guilty_1992883.jpg) > “It is more dangerous that even a guilty person should be punished without the forms of law than that he should escape.” [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Punishment without legal process is more dangerous than a guilty person escaping. **In simple terms:** Lawful process protects society. Key Takeaway Uphold due process for all. Themes justice law rights fairness Mood reflective serious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - court trials - law enforcement - civil rights cases Key Concepts legal ethics state power Questions to Reflect On - Why is legal fairness essential? - How to balance speed and justice? A Different Perspective Ensuring due process can be slow and costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dangerous Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-guilty-3465075/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Guilty person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty-person/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-escape-3465076/) [Person Punished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-punished-877515/) [Punished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punished/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [“Should a person be punished for showing no consideration towards an idiot behaving like an idiot?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/should-a-person-be-punished-for-showing-no-consideration-towards-an/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [A person who has been punished is not less inclined to behave in a given way; at best, he learns how to avoid punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/a-person-who-has-been-punished-is-not-less-inclined-to-behave-in-a/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [A person who has been punished is not thereby simply less inclined to behave in a given way; at best, he learns how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-person-who-has-been-punished-is-not-thereby-simply-less-inclined-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This is appalling. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard/this-is-appalling-the-idea-that-a-person-could-be-punished-because-of/) [John Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard/) > [I made no pretense of doing balanced reporting about murder. 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The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Nothing but free argument, raillery and even ridicule will preserve the purity of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/nothing-but-free-argument-raillery-and-even-ridicule-will-preserve/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-people-are-afraid-of-the-government-that-s-tyranny-but-when/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-hold-these-truths-to-be-self-evident-that-all-men-are-created/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Explore all 2,098 Thomas Jefferson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. 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