--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a criminal justice setting, it's very…" description: "\"In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to do is to d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg" --- # In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a… ![“In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to do is to do your best to do that.” quote by Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg) > “In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to do is to do your best to do that.” [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating safety in prisons is essential but difficult; effort must focus on fostering trust and therapeutic conditions. **In simple terms:** Safety in prisons is hard but vital. Key Takeaway Prioritize trust and therapeutic care. Themes prison reform mental health trust safety rehabilitation Mood cautious hopeful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - prison staff training - inmate counseling - policy design - community reentry programs Key Concepts therapeutic environment trust building risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can staff balance safety with therapeutic openness? - What policies best support inmate trust? A Different Perspective Security concerns may limit openness, making therapeutic work challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criminal justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Therapeutic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapeutic/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) ## Related quotes > [Being an entertainer, my path to inner peace is engulfed in the music that I create. While it is therapeutic for those who hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-devaughn/being-an-entertainer-my-path-to-inner-peace-is-engulfed-in-the-music/) [Raheem DeVaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-devaughn/) > [When I got to write for the 'Battlefield' record, it was almost therapeutic. 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No longer doctrinaire or demanding, the mishmash of pop-religion practiced in churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/christianity-in-our-country-is-a-lot-like-what-the-ducksters-profess/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [“The term 'Pharmacoenvironmentology' seeks to deal with the environmental impact of drugs given to humans and animals at therapeutic doses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syed-ziaur-rahman/the-term-pharmacoenvironmentology-seeks-to-deal-with-the/) Syed Ziaur Rahman > [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [I try to drum each day. It's therapeutic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-chippendale/i-try-to-drum-each-day-it-s-therapeutic/) [Brian Chippendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-chippendale/) > [“I've realized therapy is incredibly therapeutic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-schroeder/i-ve-realized-therapy-is-incredibly-therapeutic/) [Lisa Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-schroeder/) > [In the 1950s and early 1960s, psychoanalysis swept through the intellectual community, and it was the dominant mode of thinking about the mind. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/in-the-1950s-and-early-1960s-psychoanalysis-swept-through-the/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [Therapy can be a good thing; it can be therapeutic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rodriguez/therapy-can-be-a-good-thing-it-can-be-therapeutic/) [Alex Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rodriguez/) > [Being pampered is great, but sometimes I like to do those things myself because it's a little therapeutic and gives me some downtime for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ilonzeh/being-pampered-is-great-but-sometimes-i-like-to-do-those-things/) [Annie Ilonzeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ilonzeh/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [There is something therapeutic about doing for others that lifts a person out of the rut of self-thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/there-is-something-therapeutic-about-doing-for-others-that-lifts-a/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [Being able to scream at the top of my lungs in front of people is very therapeutic. It is a great gift for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/being-able-to-scream-at-the-top-of-my-lungs-in-front-of-people-is/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) ## More by Maia Szalavitz > [Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to-help-so-what-you-need-to-do/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There's traditionally been two different ways of seeing addiction. Either it's a sin and you're a horrible bad person and you are just choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-s-traditionally-been-two-different-ways-of-seeing-addiction/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [The thing about our drug laws is that they're not based on science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/the-thing-about-our-drug-laws-is-that-they-re-not-based-on-science/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There is a safe, nontoxic drug called naloxone that can instantly reverse opioid overdose and prevent most of these deaths. But the drug war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-is-a-safe-nontoxic-drug-called-naloxone-that-can-instantly/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [When President Nixon declared war on drugs on June 17, 1971, about 110 people per 100,000 in the population were incarcerated. Today, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/when-president-nixon-declared-war-on-drugs-on-june-17-1971-about-110/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Because of the war on drugs, pain patients are treated with skepticism and pain doctors live in fear of being prosecuted for overprescribing. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/because-of-the-war-on-drugs-pain-patients-are-treated-with-skepticism/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I think our drug laws need to be made scientifically, as best as possible, recognizing that values will always be part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-think-our-drug-laws-need-to-be-made-scientifically-as-best-as/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Addiction is when you fall in love with a drug instead of a child or a lover and the learning that takes part in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/addiction-is-when-you-fall-in-love-with-a-drug-instead-of-a-child-or/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We should not be putting kids in cages and hoping that is going to fix their psychological problems of any type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-should-not-be-putting-kids-in-cages-and-hoping-that-is-going-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I don't have kids, but I've often noticed when people first become parents they seem to completely forget their own adolescence and they start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-don-t-have-kids-but-i-ve-often-noticed-when-people-first-become/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [In order for people to recover, we can't just say 'love is all we need.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-order-for-people-to-recover-we-can-t-just-say-love-is-all-we-need/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [If you're worried about a kid and drug use, the safest, best thing to do is individual counseling or family therapy, none of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/if-you-re-worried-about-a-kid-and-drug-use-the-safest-best-thing-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Incarceration is as useful for addiction as it is for diabetes - i.e., not useful and potentially harmful, particularly for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/incarceration-is-as-useful-for-addiction-as-it-is-for-diabetes-i-e/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We absolutely should legalize marijuana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-absolutely-should-legalize-marijuana/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) [Explore all 29 Maia Szalavitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## More Criminal justice quotes > [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/) > [“But a punishment like forced labour or even imprisonment – mere loss of liberty – has never functioned without a certain additional element of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/but-a-punishment-like-forced-labour-or-even-imprisonment-mere-loss-of/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [America's criminal justice system isn't known for rehabilitation. I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/america-s-criminal-justice-system-isn-t-known-for-rehabilitation-i-m/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [The people who have been unjustly disenfranchised by our criminal justice system and the people who daily fight for them always have, and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-jenkins/the-people-who-have-been-unjustly-disenfranchised-by-our-criminal/) [Malcolm Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-jenkins/) > [Like a lot of people, I'm very, very concerned about Senator Clinton's record. I'm very, very concerned about where her positions were in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/like-a-lot-of-people-i-m-very-very-concerned-about-senator-clinton-s/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Our criminal justice system has swallowed up too many people I love. I am proud to join the ACLU in the fight to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-k-williams/our-criminal-justice-system-has-swallowed-up-too-many-people-i-love-i/) [Michael K. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-k-williams/) > [We think of justice sometimes as getting what you deserve, you know - what crime was committed and what is the punishment for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-think-of-justice-sometimes-as-getting-what-you-deserve-you-know/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Biden's political positions have been evolving for decades, shifting more to the left on critical issues such as criminal justice reform, gay marriage, health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-tarlov/biden-s-political-positions-have-been-evolving-for-decades-shifting/) [Jessica Tarlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-tarlov/) > [As a prosecutor and a senator, one of my main criminal justice priorities has been enforcing and reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-klobuchar/as-a-prosecutor-and-a-senator-one-of-my-main-criminal-justice/) [Amy Klobuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-klobuchar/) > [I think that we are in a position to continue to make progress, but it's gonna require us to both recognize what the problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-that-we-are-in-a-position-to-continue-to-make-progress-but-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A large portion of American citizens, especially people of color, have lost confidence in our criminal justice system. Many have called for appointing special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/a-large-portion-of-american-citizens-especially-people-of-color-have/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Victims of crime and the wider community deserve a grown-up debate on our criminal justice system and how we can make it work -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/victims-of-crime-and-the-wider-community-deserve-a-grown-up-debate-on/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [Whether or not we can save Lake Michigan, whether or not we can avoid a breakdown in our criminal justice system are more important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/whether-or-not-we-can-save-lake-michigan-whether-or-not-we-can-avoid/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [I'm very mindful of the need to ensure we have a criminal justice system in which people have confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grayling/i-m-very-mindful-of-the-need-to-ensure-we-have-a-criminal-justice/) [Chris Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grayling/) [Browse all 336 Criminal justice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to do is to do your best to do that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maia Szalavitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criminal justice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/maia-szalavitz-21394_criminal-justice_in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very_1797486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe…” — Maia Szalavitz", "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": "Maia Szalavitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In a criminal justice setting, it's...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/#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 } } ] } ```