We judge ourselves by what we feel
We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.
I never told a victim story about my
I never told a victim story about my imprisonment. Instead, I told a transformation story - about how prison changed my outlook, about how I saw that communication, truth, and trust are at the heart of power.
On average, drug prisoners spend more
On average, drug prisoners spend more time in federal prison than rapists, who often get out on early release because of the overcrowding in prison caused by the Drug War.
The refined punishments of the spiritual
The refined punishments of the spiritual mode are usually much more indecent and dangerous than a good smack.
Money will determine whether the accused
Money will determine whether the accused goes to prison or walks out of the courtroom a free man.
I wrote a million words in the first
I wrote a million words in the first year, and I could never have done that outside of prison.
To be at peace in crime! Ah, who can
To be at peace in crime! Ah, who can thus flatter himself.
The thoughts of a prisoner - they're not
The thoughts of a prisoner - they're not free either. They keep returning to the same things.
One should respect public opinion
One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.
Mere factual innocence is no reason not
Mere factual innocence is no reason not to carry out a death sentence properly reached.
Liberty is rendered even more precious
Liberty is rendered even more precious by the recollection of servitude.
Wherever any one is against his will,
Wherever any one is against his will, that is to him a prison.
Pardon is the virtue of victory.
Pardon is the virtue of victory.
Clemency alone makes us equal to the
Clemency alone makes us equal to the gods.
To my mind, to kill in war is not a whit
To my mind, to kill in war is not a whit better than to commit ordinary murder.
A country is in a bad state, which is
A country is in a bad state, which is governed only by laws; because a thousand things occur for which laws cannot provide, and where authority ought to interpose.
Whatever you think of de Sade, he was a
Whatever you think of de Sade, he was a complex figure and we should not look for easy answers with him. He was, strangely perhaps, against the death penalty, and he was never put in prison for murders or anything like that.
Organized crime in America takes in over
Organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year. This is quite a profitable sum, especially when one considers that the Mafia spends very little for office supplies.
Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule
Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law.
Corporal punishment falls far more
Corporal punishment falls far more heavily than most weighty pecuniary penalty.
While crime is punished it yet
While crime is punished it yet increases.
Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners
Only free men can negotiate. Prisoners cannot enter into contracts.
I submit that an individual who breaks a
I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.
I have never been contained except I
I have never been contained except I made the prison.
The only real prison is fear, and the
The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.
