The phrase alludes to a situation the place people engaged in practices thought of malevolent or antithetical to a selected ethical or authorized code face no authorized repercussions. It implies a state of affairs of impunity, the place actions which may in any other case warrant authorized intervention aren’t topic to arrest or prosecution. This might stem from quite a lot of elements, such because the actions being authorized throughout the prevailing authorized framework, an absence of proof, or a deliberate resolution by authorities to not intervene.
Traditionally, such eventualities have arisen in contexts the place the definition of acceptable conduct is contested, or the place the ability buildings in place shield sure teams or actions from authorized scrutiny. The implications are important, doubtlessly resulting in a breakdown of social order, a notion of injustice, and the erosion of belief within the governing establishments. It will possibly additionally gas social unrest and the demand for authorized reforms to deal with perceived inequalities or loopholes.
