Quotes

In prison, you get the chance to see who really loves you.

He who opens a school door, closes a prison.

Since 1957, black people have experienced double-digit unemployment - in good times and bad times. Look at the population of African Americans in prison. They represent more than half the population of prisoners in the country, 55 percent of those on death row.

A man will be imprisoned in a room with a door that's unlocked and opens inwards, as long as it does not occur to him to pull rather than push.

Wherever any one is against his will, that is to him a prison.

Federal prison, if you get any of it, you're going to have to do 85% of it. And the reason why I called it that is because I had a friend who got sent to the federal joint and his whole... it wasn't about him being in jail. He cried about the 85%.

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.

Probably the only place where a man can feel really secure is in a maximum security prison, except for the imminent threat of release.

If we were brought to trial for the crimes we have committed against ourselves, few would escape the gallows.

Crimes lead one into another; they who are capable of being forgers are capable of being incendiaries.

There is a point at which even justice does injury.

The thoughts of a prisoner - they're not free either. They keep returning to the same things.

By noiselessly going to a prison a civil-resister ensures a calm atmosphere.

Justice renders to every one his due.

The perfection of a thing consists in its essence; there are perfect criminals, as there are men of perfect probity.

To make punishments efficacious, two things are necessary. They must never be disproportioned to the offence, and they must be certain.

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.

What restrains us from killing is partly fear of punishment, partly moral scruple, and partly what may be described as a sense of humor.

I have been studying how I may compare this prison where I live unto the world; Shut up in the prison of their own consciences.

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.

To trial bring her stolen charms, and let her prison be my arms.

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.

I sometimes wish that people would put a little more emphasis upon the observance of the law than they do upon its enforcement.

When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.

You stuff somebody into the American dream, and it becomes a prison.