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The Legacy Act in Northern Ireland provides a conditional amnesty for people who committed crimes during the Troubles, as part of a broader process of reconciliation. It\u2019s an attempt to draw a line under events of the past, but it\u2019s generated anger among the families of some victims, who feel they\u2019ll be denied justice. \n \nWhen things go wrong, we need to find people to blame. Who\u2019s responsible? Who should be punished? But might we do better if we were prepared to blame less \u2013 prioritising the truth, and forgive more? It's been proposed that the NHS adopts a no-blame system where staff don\u2019t lose their jobs if they admit a failure, so the NHS learns quickly from its mistakes. The \u201cno-blame culture\u201d idea already exists in parts of the US aviation industry where people are encouraged, even praised, for owning up to mistakes that could cost lives. \n \nIf blame means disgrace and the end of a career, it\u2019s hardly surprising that people hide the truth about their own failure. How many of us would admit it quickly, if we discovered that a mistake at work had led to terrible consequences? More forgiveness might lead to greater openness and honesty. It could make it easier to avoid mistakes being repeated. But is it moral to forgive serious wrongdoing? Where is the justice in that? Surely the fear of blame is a powerful incentive for us all to do our jobs properly and avoid mistakes. Do we need more forgiveness \u2013 or less?

Presenter: Michael Buerk\nProducer: Jonathan Hallewell\nAssistant Producer: Ruth Purser\nEditor: Tim Pemberton