--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know from personal experience that the…" description: "\"I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.\" — John McCain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png" --- # I know from personal experience that the abuse of… ![“I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png) > “I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.” [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal observations suggest that harsh treatment of inmates yields little useful intelligence and may cause more harm than benefit. **In simple terms:** Abusing prisoners produces poor intelligence. Key Takeaway Treat prisoners humanely for better outcomes. Themes human rights intelligence gathering prison reform Mood concerned pragmatic Type policy ethical When to use this quote - law enforcement training - policy drafting - humanitarian oversight - academic research Key Concepts ethics information quality security policy Questions to Reflect On - How does humane treatment affect intelligence quality? - What alternatives exist to coercive interrogation? A Different Perspective May not account for all security contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-prisoners-1152648/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Experience Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-abuse-448202/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-intelligence-1152649/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Personal experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experience/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners/) ## Related quotes > [The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system--whether political, religious or economic--that is rejected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The abuse of prisoners hurts America's cause in the war on terror, endangers US service members who might be captured by the enemy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-abuse-of-prisoners-hurts-america-s-cause-in-the-war-on-terror/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I was under the impression that the worst thing you can do when you see or experience abuse it to be silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-under-the-impression-that-the-worst-thing-you-can-do-when-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The results of any traumatic experience, such as abuse, can only be resolved by experiencing, articulating, and judging every facet of the original experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/the-results-of-any-traumatic-experience-such-as-abuse-can-only-be/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [“We must understand that those who experience abuse as children, and particularly those who experience incest, almost invariably suffer from a profound sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-west/we-must-understand-that-those-who-experience-abuse-as-children-and/) [Cameron West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-west/) > [I think the intelligence I get is darn good intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-think-the-intelligence-i-get-is-darn-good-intelligence/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Good intelligence analysis, after all, is all about discrimination between what's important and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-wittes/good-intelligence-analysis-after-all-is-all-about-discrimination/) [Benjamin Wittes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-wittes/) > [“I've come to suspect that whenever any ability is difficult to learn and rarely performed well, it's probably because contraries are called for -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-elbow/i-ve-come-to-suspect-that-whenever-any-ability-is-difficult-to-learn/) [Peter Elbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-elbow/) > [Information-sharing is elementary to good intelligence work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/information-sharing-is-elementary-to-good-intelligence-work/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Our intentions may be very good, but, because the intelligence is limited, the action may turn out to be a mistake - a mistake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/our-intentions-may-be-very-good-but-because-the-intelligence-is/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [The necessity of procuring good Intelligence is apparent & need not be further urged-All that remains for me to add, is, that you keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-necessity-of-procuring-good-intelligence-is-apparent-need-not-be/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Good intelligence is nine-tenths of any battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/good-intelligence-is-nine-tenths-of-any-battle/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“One's writing is good only when the intelligence and the imagination are in equilibrium. As soon as one of them overbalances the other, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/one-s-writing-is-good-only-when-the-intelligence-and-the-imagination/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [It is expedient to have acquaintance with those who have looked into the world, who know men, understand business, and can give you good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horne/it-is-expedient-to-have-acquaintance-with-those-who-have-looked-into/) [George Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horne/) > [These are Canadian and United States intelligence and law enforcement offices who are working in teams and who are using good intelligence and good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cellucci/these-are-canadian-and-united-states-intelligence-and-law-enforcement/) [Paul Cellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cellucci/) ## More by John McCain > [I have the utmost confidence in General Mattis, General Flynn, General Kelly, Dan Coates. I couldn't have picked a better team. And so I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-have-the-utmost-confidence-in-general-mattis-general-flynn-general/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Washington is a Hollywood for ugly people. Hollywood is a Washington for the simpleminded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/washington-is-a-hollywood-for-ugly-people-hollywood-is-a-washington/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I think that it's important that we understand the importance of the Hispanic vote in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-that-it-s-important-that-we-understand-the-importance-of-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [ I will not agree to have this bill \[to repeal DADT \] go forward, because our economy is in the tank. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-repeal-dadt-go-forward-because/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I don't know a politician who enjoys fundraising. The system is such that the American people have lost faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-don-t-know-a-politician-who-enjoys-fundraising-the-system-is-such/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It is perhaps my greatest hope, Mr. President, that some day we'll consider tax and spending measures with no one else in mind but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/it-is-perhaps-my-greatest-hope-mr-president-that-some-day-we-ll/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [The truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad. It is sometimes used by our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-truth-is-sometimes-a-hard-pill-to-swallow-it-sometimes-causes-us/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [My greatest fear is the Iranians acquire a nuclear weapon and give it to a terrorist organization. And there is a real threat of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/my-greatest-fear-is-the-iranians-acquire-a-nuclear-weapon-and-give-it/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Presidential ambition is a disease that can only be cured by embalming fluid .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/presidential-ambition-is-a-disease-that-can-only-be-cured-by/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [That's Joe Biden right there - unbowed, unbroken and unable to stop talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/that-s-joe-biden-right-there-unbowed-unbroken-and-unable-to-stop/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) [Explore all 539 John McCain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McCain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/john-mccain-465_abuse_i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the_2510660.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.” — John McCain", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John McCain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know from personal experience that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```