Nothing can be more abhorrent to
Nothing can be more abhorrent to democracy than to imprison a person or keep him in prison because he is unpopular. This is really the test of civilization.
Those magistrates who can prevent crime,
Those magistrates who can prevent crime, and do not, in effect encourage it.
There is no greater punishment of
There is no greater punishment of wickedness that that it is dissatisfied with itself and its deeds.
I can work for the Lord in or out of
I can work for the Lord in or out of prison.
To be at peace in crime! Ah, who can
To be at peace in crime! Ah, who can thus flatter himself.
Some laws of state aimed at curbing
Some laws of state aimed at curbing crime are even more criminal.
Hard cases, it is said, make bad law.
Hard cases, it is said, make bad law.
When it comes to freedom, we are but
When it comes to freedom, we are but prisoners of our own desires.
The virtue of justice consists in
The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.
The only effect of public punishment is
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.
Crime is a logical extension of the sort
Crime is a logical extension of the sort of behavior that often [is] considered perfectly respectable in legitimate business.
I asked a man in prison once how he
I asked a man in prison once how he happened to be there and he said he had stolen a pair of shoes. I told him if he had stolen a railroad he would be a United States Senator.
You utter a vow, or forge a signature,
You utter a vow, or forge a signature, and you may find yourself bound for life to a monastery, a woman, or prison.
If punishment reaches not the mind and
If punishment reaches not the mind and makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender.
Educate your children to self-control,
Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future lives and crimes to society.
Any punishment that does not correct,
Any punishment that does not correct, that can merely rouse rebellion in whoever has to endure it, is a piece of gratuitous infamy which makes those who impose it more guilty in the eyes of humanity, good sense and reason, nay a hundred times more guilty than the victim on whom the punishment is inflicted.
One crime has to be concealed by
One crime has to be concealed by another.
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely.
We shall not yield to violence. We shall
We shall not yield to violence. We shall not be deprived of union freedoms. We shall never agree with sending people to prison for their convictions.
I just remember that disturbing feeling
I just remember that disturbing feeling of walking into that prison, the complete loss of privacy, the complete loss of stimulation, dignity.
They were being driven to a prison,
They were being driven to a prison, through no fault of their own, in all probability for life. In comparison, how much easier it would be to walk to the gallows than to this tomb of living horrors!
In prison, you get the chance to see who
In prison, you get the chance to see who really loves you.
Assassination is the extreme form of
Assassination is the extreme form of censorship.
Every instance of a man's suffering the
Every instance of a man's suffering the penalty of the law is an instance of the failure of that penalty in effecting its purpose, which is to deter.
Let us remember that justice must be
Let us remember that justice must be observed even to the lowest.
