Nor cell, nor chain, nor dungeon speaks
Nor cell, nor chain, nor dungeon speaks to the murderer like the voice of solitude.
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more
As we grow in wisdom, we pardon more freely.
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!
Injustice anywhere is a threat to
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.
The object of punishment is prevention
The object of punishment is prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.
In a civilized society, all crimes are
In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes.
When you are younger you get blamed for
When you are younger you get blamed for crimes you never committed and when you're older you begin to get credit for virtues you never possessed. It evens itself out.
Self is the only prison that can bind
Self is the only prison that can bind the soul.
Two men look out the same prison bars;
Two men look out the same prison bars; one sees mud and the other stars.
In the halls of justice, the only
In the halls of justice, the only justice is in the halls.
The object of punishment is prevention
The object of punishment is prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.
It is certain that the study of human
It is certain that the study of human psychology, if it were undertaken exclusively in prisons, would also lead to misrepresentation and absurd generalizations.
The degree of civilization in a society
The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.
It becomes not a law-maker to be a
It becomes not a law-maker to be a law-breaker.
I know not whether laws be right, or
I know not whether laws be right, or whether laws be wrong; All that we know who lie in gaol is that the wall is strong; And that each day is like a year, a year whose days are long.
Clemency alone makes us equal to the
Clemency alone makes us equal to the gods.
In prisons, those things withheld from
In prisons, those things withheld from and denied to the prisoner become precisely what he wants most of all.
Crimes lead one into another; they who
Crimes lead one into another; they who are capable of being forgers are capable of being incendiaries.
Punishment, that is the justice for the
Punishment, that is the justice for the unjust.
To seek the redress of grievances by
To seek the redress of grievances by going to law, is like sheep running for shelter to a bramble bush.
The common argument that crime is caused
The common argument that crime is caused by poverty is a kind of slander on the poor.
A sick person is a prisoner.
A sick person is a prisoner.
No written law has been more binding
No written law has been more binding than unwritten custom supported by popular opinion.
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.
Justice is that virtue of the soul which
Justice is that virtue of the soul which is distributive according to desert.
