--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does…" description: "\"Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does not deter the next. Well, what of it? The first one is at least disposed of.\" — H. L. Mencken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/h-l-mencken-245_democracy_hanging-one-scoundrel-it-appears-does-no_1792670.png" --- # Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does not deter the… ![“Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does not deter the next. Well, what of it? The first one is at least disposed of.” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/h-l-mencken-245_democracy_hanging-one-scoundrel-it-appears-does-no_1792670.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/h-l-mencken-245_democracy_hanging-one-scoundrel-it-appears-does-no_1792670.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/h-l-mencken-245_democracy_hanging-one-scoundrel-it-appears-does-no_1792670.png) > “Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does not deter the next. Well, what of it? The first one is at least disposed of.” [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence against one offender does not stop others from committing crimes; the cycle continues. **In simple terms:** Punishing one does not prevent the next. Key Takeaway Address systemic causes, not just individuals. Themes justice violence cycle deterrence society Mood critical serious Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - policy reform - community policing - education - restorative justice Key Concepts crimology social control recidivism Questions to Reflect On - How can we break the cycle of repeat offenses? - What societal changes reduce repeat crime? A Different Perspective Focus on punishment alone ignores underlying incentives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Scoundrels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scoundrels/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever "A" attempts by law to impose his moral standards upon "B," "A" is most likely a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/whenever-a-attempts-by-law-to-impose-his-moral-standards-upon-b-a-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Whenever A annoys or injures B on the pretense of saving or improving X, A is a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/whenever-a-annoys-or-injures-b-on-the-pretense-of-saving-or-improving/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Only a sadistic scoundrel-or a fool-tells the bald truth on social occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/only-a-sadistic-scoundrel-or-a-fool-tells-the-bald-truth-on-social/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Patriotism: The first resort of a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/patriotism-the-first-resort-of-a-scoundrel/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [An economist is a scoundrel who tells you the way things are rather than the way you want them to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nordhaus/an-economist-is-a-scoundrel-who-tells-you-the-way-things-are-rather/) William Nordhaus > [I've always thought respectable people scoundrels, and I look anxiously at my face every morning for signs of my becoming a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-ve-always-thought-respectable-people-scoundrels-and-i-look/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/patriotism-is-the-last-refuge-to-which-a-scoundrel-clings/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [It's very hard not to be a scoundrel nowadays. Everywhere there are pressures that work towards our personal and collective debasement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-rodrigues/it-s-very-hard-not-to-be-a-scoundrel-nowadays-everywhere-there-are/) [Nelson Rodrigues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-rodrigues/) > [Like a battalion of marines at roll call, her neck hairs marshaled to five-alarm status. She stumbled back to her desk, jerked open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/like-a-battalion-of-marines-at-roll-call-her-neck-hairs-marshaled-to/) [Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/) > [Public office is the last refuge of the scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boies-penrose/public-office-is-the-last-refuge-of-the-scoundrel/) Boies Penrose > [40 million Russians are convinced that I am a scoundrel, a thief, a criminal or a CIA agent, who deserves to be shot, hanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/40-million-russians-are-convinced-that-i-am-a-scoundrel-a-thief-a/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [Whitney: You black-hearted, treacherous, conniving scoundrel. Clayton: Your flattery warms my heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/whitney-you-black-hearted-treacherous-conniving-scoundrel-clayton/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [He who speaks ill of an absent friend, or fails to take his part if attacked by another, that man is a scoundrel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/he-who-speaks-ill-of-an-absent-friend-or-fails-to-take-his-part-if/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Only by himself, with one acre and a house, will a dunce be a dunce. Once he manages to gain power, he'll turn into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/only-by-himself-with-one-acre-and-a-house-will-a-dunce-be-a-dunce/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More by H. L. Mencken > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. 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But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. 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