Tamper justice with mercy OR Temper justice with mercy (See more…)

The phrase of choice is ‘temper justice with mercy’ which means to balance the strict application of justice with compassion, leniency or forgiveness. 

The confusion between ‘tamper justice with mercy’ and  ‘temper justice with mercy’ may be attributable to sound and spelling between ‘tamper’ and ‘temper.’

‘Tamper’ typically implies interfering or meddling with something, often in a secret or unauthorized way. 

In contrast, ‘temper’ means to moderate or balance something, such as emotions, actions, or in this case, justice.

Using ‘temper’ conveys an approach to justice, one that takes into account the need for both accountability and compassion. 

The use of ‘tamper’ in the phrase will change the meaning and potentially imply an inappropriate or unjust manipulation of justice.