The principle of “presumed innocence” is a legal concept that means a person is considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. This idea took shape during the French Revolution and was later adopted into modern constitutions. Before this principle existed, people accused of crimes had to prove their own innocence. Because guilt was assumed from the start, many innocent people were unfairly punished. To prevent such injustices, the law was established to protect the innocent until guilt is clearly proven.
Famous sayings like “It’s better to let ten guilty people go free than to punish one innocent person” and “It’s worse to accuse the innocent than to release the guilty” come from this idea.
But this principle doesn’t just apply in courtrooms; it can also be a valuable guide in our daily relationships. When we judge someone based on assumptions rather than understanding their situation or intentions, we risk wrongly labeling them as bad or strange. Prejudice and misunderstanding can cloud our judgment, keeping us from seeing the truth.
Instead of jumping to conclusions, choosing to trust and try to understand others can protect both them and ourselves. When we give others the benefit of the doubt, we create space for empathy and avoid the harm that comes from unfair judgments.