--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The need to be cared for is the base of…" description: "\"The need to be cared for is the base of everything. In the penitentiaries, you won't hear gangbangers and criminals say, 'No, I don't want to be cared ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jim-brown-2991_care_the-need-to-be-cared-for-is-the-base-of_2131505.png" --- # The need to be cared for is the base of everything. In the… ![“The need to be cared for is the base of everything. In the penitentiaries, you won't hear gangbangers and criminals say, 'No, I don't want to be cared for by nobody.' When you care about them, they'll open up to you.” quote by Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jim-brown-2991_care_the-need-to-be-cared-for-is-the-base-of_2131505.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jim-brown-2991_care_the-need-to-be-cared-for-is-the-base-of_2131505.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jim-brown-2991_care_the-need-to-be-cared-for-is-the-base-of_2131505.png) > “The need to be cared for is the base of everything. In the penitentiaries, you won't hear gangbangers and criminals say, 'No, I don't want to be cared for by nobody.' When you care about them, they'll open up to you.” [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Caring for incarcerated people opens them up, showing that the need for care is fundamental. **In simple terms:** Care is essential for all, even criminals. Key Takeaway Show empathy to build trust. Themes compassion rehabilitation humanity Mood empathetic hopeful Type social psychological When to use this quote - prison reform - social work - community outreach Key Concepts restorative justice psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate genuine care? - What barriers exist to empathy in prisons? A Different Perspective Care may be resisted by some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) ## Related quotes > [“There’s a saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes,” but it should be amended to add “. . . or in penitentiaries.”\* If I am ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-gurwitch/there-s-a-saying-there-are-no-atheists-in-foxholes-but-it-should-be/) [Annabelle Gurwitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-gurwitch/) > [I need to be cared for and looked after. I need to be aware of things more and I am now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-mcpartlin/i-need-to-be-cared-for-and-looked-after-i-need-to-be-aware-of-things/) [Ant McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-mcpartlin/) > [The closest thing to being cared for is to care for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-closest-thing-to-being-cared-for-is-to-care-for-others/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [He considers me also a little fragile because artistic. I need to be cared for, like a potted plant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/he-considers-me-also-a-little-fragile-because-artistic-i-need-to-be/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The closest thing to being cared for is to care for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/the-closest-thing-to-being-cared-for-is-to-care-for-someone-else/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [I'm tired of fighting, I want to be fought for. I'm tired of caring, I want to be cared for. I'm tired of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xuan-ta/i-m-tired-of-fighting-i-want-to-be-fought-for-i-m-tired-of-caring-i/) [Xuan Ta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xuan-ta/) > [The doctor I would want for myself or for anyone else I cared about would be one who understands that disease is more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/the-doctor-i-would-want-for-myself-or-for-anyone-else-i-cared-about/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [“All of our possessions want to be cared for, and they tell us that every time we look at them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/all-of-our-possessions-want-to-be-cared-for-and-they-tell-us-that/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [No use slaving for me and then saying you want to be cared for: who cares for a slave? If you come back, come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/no-use-slaving-for-me-and-then-saying-you-want-to-be-cared-for-who/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [They're criminals, they brutalized Afghanistan, they killed our people, they destroyed our land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-karzai/they-re-criminals-they-brutalized-afghanistan-they-killed-our-people/) [Hamid Karzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-karzai/) > [There are over 500,000 registered sex offenders across the country, and statistics have shown that the recidivism rate for those criminals is high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/there-are-over-500-000-registered-sex-offenders-across-the-country/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [What most needs explanation is not why some people are criminals, but why most people are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-q-wilson/what-most-needs-explanation-is-not-why-some-people-are-criminals-but/) [James Q. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-q-wilson/) > [Discovering witnesses is just as important as catching criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/discovering-witnesses-is-just-as-important-as-catching-criminals/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) ## More by Jim Brown > [The three greatest people in my life as a young person were white, my high school superintendent, my high school coach and a -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/the-three-greatest-people-in-my-life-as-a-young-person-were-white-my/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Capitalistic society teaches kids to be No. 1, but true self-esteem doesn't come from money. It doesn't come from winning the Super Bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/capitalistic-society-teaches-kids-to-be-no-1-but-true-self-esteem/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [The three greatest people in my life as a young person were white. I'm not a person that really deals in color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/the-three-greatest-people-in-my-life-as-a-young-person-were-white-i-m/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Nobody I ever broke bread with - and I see players all the time - talked about using their head running the football. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/nobody-i-ever-broke-bread-with-and-i-see-players-all-the-time-talked/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [In a perfect world, I don't think any man should slap anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/in-a-perfect-world-i-don-t-think-any-man-should-slap-anyone/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [The three greatest people in my life were white, OK. My high school coach, my high school superintendent and my mentor in Manhasset, Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/the-three-greatest-people-in-my-life-were-white-ok-my-high-school/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Success is not only for the elite. Success is there for those who want it, plan for it, and take action to achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/success-is-not-only-for-the-elite-success-is-there-for-those-who-want/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [You have to put money in its proper perspective. The way it is positioned in the culture is like it is the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/you-have-to-put-money-in-its-proper-perspective-the-way-it-is/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [People think that coaches are always right, but it's difficult to teach a runner how to run, because every runner is different. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/people-think-that-coaches-are-always-right-but-it-s-difficult-to/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [We have to go back to the memories of 9-11. If that memory doesn't do anything to you as an American, then you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/we-have-to-go-back-to-the-memories-of-9-11-if-that-memory-doesn-t-do/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [The so-called incorrigibles were not the way people said they were. I found a lot of character in some of these people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/the-so-called-incorrigibles-were-not-the-way-people-said-they-were-i/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [I never had a father, really. My great-grandmother raised me. But I was in this country where I got help from people that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/i-never-had-a-father-really-my-great-grandmother-raised-me-but-i-was/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [One of the most fantastic experiences I ever had was as a decathlete. I finished fifth in the nation my senior year of high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/one-of-the-most-fantastic-experiences-i-ever-had-was-as-a-decathlete/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [When you think of the sacrifices our firefighters make, think about the service of soldiers in foreign lands and listen to their lives, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/when-you-think-of-the-sacrifices-our-firefighters-make-think-about/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [Young black men in this country have to understand that they have a responsibility. They cannot be the enemy in their own neighborhoods and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/young-black-men-in-this-country-have-to-understand-that-they-have-a/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) [Explore all 143 Jim Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The need to be cared for is the base of everything. In the penitentiaries, you won't hear gangbangers and criminals say, 'No, I don't want to be cared for by nobody.' 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