Show me the prison, Show me the jail, Show me the prisoner whose life has gone stale. And I'll show you a young man with so many reasons why And there, but for fortune, go you or I.
The idea that the sole aim of punishment is to prevent crime is obviously grounded upon the theory that crime can be prevented, which is almost as dubious as the notion that poverty can be prevented.
It is better that ten guilty persons escape, than that one innocent suffer.
Society prepares the crime; the criminal commits it.
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.
The world itself is but a large prison, out of which some are daily led to execution.
He was a first-time nonviolent possible offender, ... And under the mandatory minimums, he was put in prison for 15 years. Not only does the punishment not fit the crime, but the mandatory minimums don't give judges any discretion to look at the background of the case, to read into the specifics of the case. I don't know a judge who really is in favor of the mandatory minimums.
There is no greater punishment of wickedness that that it is dissatisfied with itself and its deeds.
The punishment can be remitted; the crime is everlasting.
Crime is a logical extension of the sort of behavior that often [is] considered perfectly respectable in legitimate business.
It is not at the table, but in prison, that you learn who your true friends are.
Crimes lead one into another; they who are capable of being forgers are capable of being incendiaries.
Experts and the educated elite have replaced what worked with what sounded good. Society was far more civilized before they took over our schools, prisons, welfare programs, police departments and courts. It's high time we ran these people out of our lives and went back to common sense.
Mere factual innocence is no reason not to carry out a death sentence properly reached.
Fast closed with double grills And triple gates–the cell To wicked souls is hell; But to a mind that's innocent 'Tis only iron, wood and stone.
Laws grind the poor, and rich men rule the law.
Assassination is the extreme form of censorship.
Extreme justice is extreme injustice.
The refined punishments of the spiritual mode are usually much more indecent and dangerous than a good smack.
Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass, Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be retentive to the strength of spirit; But life, being weary of these worldly bars, Never lacks power to dismiss itself.
A Sunday school is a prison in which children do penance for the evil conscience of their parents.
When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.
Man is condemned to be free.
Whatever is worthy to be loved for anything is worthy of preservation. A wise and dispassionate legislator, if any such should ever arise among men, will not condemn to death him who has done or is likely to do more service than injury to society. Blocks and gibbets are the nearest objects with legislators, and their business is never with hopes or with virtues.
Adversities such as being homeless and going to prison has made many people stronger.
