Quotes

There are few better measures of the concern a society has for its individual members and its own well being than the way it handles criminals.

The number of laws is constantly growing in all countries and, owing to this, what is called crime is very often not a crime at all, for it contains no element of violence or harm.

I can work for the Lord in or out of prison.

A variety in punishment is of utility, as well as a proportion.

It was only when I lay there on the rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not between states nor between social classes nor between political parties, but right through every human heart, through all human hearts. And that is why I turn back to the years of my imprisonment and say, sometimes to the astonishment of those about me, bless you, prison, for having been a part of my life.

The perfection of a thing consists in its essence; there are perfect criminals, as there are men of perfect probity.

They took away my money, my family, and my security. Why couldn't they destroy my ideas? We will question them in court tomorrow as we trigger The Revolution of all revolutions!

One man meets an infamous punishment for that crime which confers a diadem upon another.

The only effect of public punishment is to show the rabble how bravely it can be borne; and that every one who hath lost a toe-nail hath suffered worse.

Federal prison, if you get any of it, you're going to have to do 85% of it. And the reason why I called it that is because I had a friend who got sent to the federal joint and his whole... it wasn't about him being in jail. He cried about the 85%.

Since 1957, black people have experienced double-digit unemployment - in good times and bad times. Look at the population of African Americans in prison. They represent more than half the population of prisoners in the country, 55 percent of those on death row.

In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes.

Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful.

Pardon is the virtue of victory.

Every crime has, in the moment of its perpetration, Its own avenging angel--dark misgiving, An ominous sinking at the inmost heart.

We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.

When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist. When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist. When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.

One crime has to be concealed by another.

So justice while she winks at crimes, Stumbles on innocence sometimes.

There are only two places in the world where time takes precedence over the job to be done. School and prison.

We have our own system, ... and journalists in our system are not put in prison for embarrassing the government by revealing things the government might not wish to have revealed. The important thing is that our system, under which journalists can write without fear or favor, should continue.

A man will be imprisoned in a room with a door that's unlocked and opens inwards, as long as it does not occur to him to pull rather than push.

You utter a vow, or forge a signature, and you may find yourself bound for life to a monastery, a woman, or prison.

Crimes lead one into another; they who are capable of being forgers are capable of being incendiaries.