--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not like they can take anything from…" description: "\"“It's not like they can take anything from me,' he says later, back with his homeboys in Juvenile Hall. 'Ain't got nothing to give. Nothin' but time, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/edward-humes-30392_crime_it-s-not-like-they-can-take-anything-fro_2962167.jpg" --- # It's not like they can take anything from me,' he says… ![“It's not like they can take anything from me,' he says later, back with his homeboys in Juvenile Hall. 'Ain't got nothing to give. Nothin' but time, that is. And I been doin' time my whole life, one way or the other.” quote by Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/edward-humes-30392_crime_it-s-not-like-they-can-take-anything-fro_2962167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/edward-humes-30392_crime_it-s-not-like-they-can-take-anything-fro_2962167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/edward-humes-30392_crime_it-s-not-like-they-can-take-anything-fro_2962167.jpg) > ““It's not like they can take anything from me,' he says later, back with his homeboys in Juvenile Hall. 'Ain't got nothing to give. Nothin' but time, that is. And I been doin' time my whole life, one way or the other.”” [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person feels powerless, believing they have nothing left to lose, only time, and a lifetime of confinement. **In simple terms:** Feeling trapped with only time left. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden strengths despite feeling powerless. Themes despair identity incarceration Mood somber reflective Type narrative personal When to use this quote - prison life - rehabilitation programs - personal reflection - family support Key Concepts existentialism selfworth time perception Questions to Reflect On - What can you control when everything else feels taken? - How does time shape your sense of self? A Different Perspective Even when feeling empty, personal agency can emerge through small choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Homeboys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeboys/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Locking everyone up is not the solution,' she sighs, staring into a cup of coffee gone cold as The Box at Juvenile Hall. 'It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/locking-everyone-up-is-not-the-solution-she-sighs-staring-into-a-cup/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [What we do have is nothin' but time. Welcome to the Shawshank Redemption of late night!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/what-we-do-have-is-nothin-but-time-welcome-to-the-shawshank/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Time, ain't nothin, but time. It's a verse with no rhyme, and it all comes down to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/time-ain-t-nothin-but-time-it-s-a-verse-with-no-rhyme-and-it-all/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [When I was younger, I was thinking of ways I could get respect so people wouldn't bother me. I was down for whatever. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-b/when-i-was-younger-i-was-thinking-of-ways-i-could-get-respect-so/) [Lil B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-b/) > [I had little problems during high school. It seemed like I was always getting into trouble in summer, going in and out of juvenile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-ortiz/i-had-little-problems-during-high-school-it-seemed-like-i-was-always/) [Tito Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-ortiz/) > [Once a week we go to juvenile hall and talk to boys there. Just go and spend a day in the juvenile courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bonet/once-a-week-we-go-to-juvenile-hall-and-talk-to-boys-there-just-go-and/) [Lisa Bonet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bonet/) > [Dre was one of my heros in the music industry. If he's not down for his homeboys, I don't wanna be a part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/dre-was-one-of-my-heros-in-the-music-industry-if-he-s-not-down-for/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [I think it's too late for prayin, hold up, a voice spoke to me and it slowly started sayin' 'Bring your lifestyle to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-think-it-s-too-late-for-prayin-hold-up-a-voice-spoke-to-me-and-it/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [I lost a lot of homeboys growing up, a lot of family, at early ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-rock/i-lost-a-lot-of-homeboys-growing-up-a-lot-of-family-at-early-ages/) [Jay Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-rock/) > [Now on the first day of Christmas, my homeboy gave to me A sack of the krazy glue and told me to smoke it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/now-on-the-first-day-of-christmas-my-homeboy-gave-to-me-a-sack-of-the/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [These palm trees like my old homeboys, hella shady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/these-palm-trees-like-my-old-homeboys-hella-shady/) [Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/) > [Well thats my homeboys excuse me, my family and when we conquer the world, we mackin' on the galaxy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/insane-clown-posse/well-thats-my-homeboys-excuse-me-my-family-and-when-we-conquer-the/) [Insane Clown Posse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/insane-clown-posse/) > [I'm not saying this because I'm looking for a soft cushion wherever I'm heading, I just feel that I've got thousands and thousands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eazy-e/i-m-not-saying-this-because-i-m-looking-for-a-soft-cushion-wherever-i/) [Eazy-E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eazy-e/) > [I want the conversations I have with my homeboys to be brought to TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-clark/i-want-the-conversations-i-have-with-my-homeboys-to-be-brought-to-tv/) [Ryan Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-clark/) > [My real name's McGill. The Jew thing I just do for the homeboys. They all want a pipe-hitting member of the tribe, so to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul/my-real-name-s-mcgill-the-jew-thing-i-just-do-for-the-homeboys-they/) [Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul/) ## More by Edward Humes > [“from a child in danger to a dangerous child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/from-a-child-in-danger-to-a-dangerous-child/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [Instead of spending the time and the money and the manpower on the front end, when children first transgress - and when they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/instead-of-spending-the-time-and-the-money-and-the-manpower-on-the/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“we are waiting and waiting and doing nothing, until it is too late, and they commit crimes so serious that all society wants to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/we-are-waiting-and-waiting-and-doing-nothing-until-it-is-too-late-and/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Americans make more trash than anyone else on the planet, throwing away about 7.1 pounds per person per day, 365 days a year. Across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/americans-make-more-trash-than-anyone-else-on-the-planet-throwing/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“These kids are already hard. They don't need to be made harder. The issue is softening them up. They need to learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/these-kids-are-already-hard-they-don-t-need-to-be-made-harder-the/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“the fundamental question Juvenile Court was designed to ask - What's the best way to deal with this individual kid? - is often lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/the-fundamental-question-juvenile-court-was-designed-to-ask-what-s/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“There are, in short, a multitude of ways for trash to escape and plastic to go missing. But there is only one ultimate end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/there-are-in-short-a-multitude-of-ways-for-trash-to-escape-and/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [There are two theories of evolution. There is the genuine scientific theory; and there is the talk-radio pretend version, designed not to enlighten but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/there-are-two-theories-of-evolution-there-is-the-genuine-scientific/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Take a trip in my mind see all that I've seen, and you'd be called a beast, not a human being... Fuck it, cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/take-a-trip-in-my-mind-see-all-that-i-ve-seen-and-you-d-be-called-a/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“(By contrast, 15 percent of Pennsylvania is publicly owned lands, as is 44 percent of California, 68 percent of Idaho, and more than 90 percent of Alaska.) In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/by-contrast-15-percent-of-pennsylvania-is-publicly-owned-lands-as-is/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Is it always in the interest of the public safety to seek the prosecutor's traditional solution -- the harshest penalty possible? Or is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/is-it-always-in-the-interest-of-the-public-safety-to-seek-the/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Officially, he was no longer a victim, he was a criminal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/officially-he-was-no-longer-a-victim-he-was-a-criminal/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“He wants to tell her that he is not hopeless, that he is not filled with hatred or violence, that he is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/he-wants-to-tell-her-that-he-is-not-hopeless-that-he-is-not-filled/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Average household credit card debt topped the landmark of $10,000 in 2006, a hundredfold increase over the average consumer debt in the 1960s. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/average-household-credit-card-debt-topped-the-landmark-of-10-000-in/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) > [“Locking everyone up is not the solution,' she sighs, staring into a cup of coffee gone cold as The Box at Juvenile Hall. 'It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-humes/locking-everyone-up-is-not-the-solution-she-sighs-staring-into-a-cup/) [Edward Humes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) [Explore all 17 Edward Humes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-humes/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. 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I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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