When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.
Society prepares the crime; the criminal commits it.
What restrains us from killing is partly fear of punishment, partly moral scruple, and partly what may be described as a sense of humor.
Man is condemned to be free.
In a civilized society, all crimes are likely to be sins, but most sins are not and ought not to be treated as crimes.
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.
We are prisoners of ideas.
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.
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.
A just chastisement may benefit a man, though it seldom does; but an unjust one changes all his blood to gall.
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.
If you strike at, imprison, or kill us, out of our prisons or graves we will still evoke a spirit that will thwart you, and perhaps, raise a force that will destroy you! We defy you! Do your worst!
I sometimes wish that people would put a little more emphasis upon the observance of the law than they do upon its enforcement.
To trial bring her stolen charms, and let her prison be my arms.
If punishment reaches not the mind and makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender.
In the halls of justice, the only justice is in the halls.
Pardon is the virtue of victory.
To be at peace in crime! Ah, who can thus flatter himself.
The object of punishment is prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.
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.
When it comes to freedom, we are but prisoners of our own desires.
The world itself is but a large prison, out of which some are daily led to execution.
Prison makes you a better judge of character. You pick up on people much faster.
