the objective is not some utilitarian maximization of wellbeing; it's to prevent the state specifically from bringing harm to an innocent person. the implicatio

the objective is not some utilitarian maximization of wellbeing; it's to prevent the state specifically from bringing harm to an innocent person. the implication is that it's worse for the state to directly harm an innocent person than for the state to allow harm to come to that person through inaction (eg, failing to imprison murderers).