If freedom makes social progress possible, so social progress strengthens and enlarges freedom. The two are inseparable partners in the great adventure of humanity.
Robert KennedyRead
I believe indeterminate sentencing can be extremely useful, but I also believe that any such system should always take into consideration the special knowledge as to the facts in a case which only the trial judge possesses.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Indeterminate sentencing requires judicial discretion to consider the specifics of each case.
In this quote, Robert Kennedy underscores the importance of indeterminate sentencing in the judicial system, suggesting that it can provide flexibility and fairness in punishment. He emphasizes that trial judges hold unique insights into the details of each case, which should be paramount in guiding sentencing decisions, ensuring that justice is served in a nuanced manner.
Themes
SentencingJusticeTrialJudgeFlexibility
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about judicial reforms, this quote highlights the importance of the trial judge's role.
More from Robert Kennedy
All quotes →Elections remind us not only of the rights but the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
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Within the United States, we have put great emphasis upon political freedoms. Because it has been our experience that these freedoms can lead to others.
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It is one thing to open job opportunities. It is another to train people to fill them, or to persuade American enterprise to seek Negro as well as white applicants.
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Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.
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The Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, and it can tell us everything about America - except whether we are proud to be Americans.
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