--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a dad does his job, we don't need…" description: "\"If a dad does his job, we don't need prisons, we don't need jails. That's what I saw growing up.\" — Mike Singletary" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/mike-singletary-18756_dad_if-a-dad-does-his-job-we-don-t-need-pris_2873551.jpg" --- # If a dad does his job, we don't need prisons, we don't… ![“If a dad does his job, we don't need prisons, we don't need jails. That's what I saw growing up.” quote by Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/mike-singletary-18756_dad_if-a-dad-does-his-job-we-don-t-need-pris_2873551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/mike-singletary-18756_dad_if-a-dad-does-his-job-we-don-t-need-pris_2873551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/mike-singletary-18756_dad_if-a-dad-does-his-job-we-don-t-need-pris_2873551.jpg) > “If a dad does his job, we don't need prisons, we don't need jails. That's what I saw growing up.” [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A father's responsibility and moral guidance can reduce societal need for punitive systems. **In simple terms:** Good parenting lessens need for prisons. Key Takeaway Promote strong parental involvement. Themes family responsibility social order Mood concerned hopeful Type sociological policy When to use this quote - education policy - social services - family counseling Key Concepts parenting community justice Questions to Reflect On - How does parental guidance impact crime rates? - What support helps parents succeed? A Different Perspective Not all fathers can fulfill this role. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-does-260583/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Jails Saw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jails-saw-3944669/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Need Jails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-jails-1997745/) [Need Prisons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-prisons-1824892/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prisons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisons/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) ## Related quotes > [We need prisons because there are some hardcore criminals, but I never met a guy who has been in jail that came out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-rahim/we-need-prisons-because-there-are-some-hardcore-criminals-but-i-never/) [Tahar Rahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahar-rahim/) > [You don't need jails, you get put a thousand miles into the middle of Australia, you can go wherever you want, go ahead, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/you-don-t-need-jails-you-get-put-a-thousand-miles-into-the-middle-of/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [“In America we build prisons based on third-grade test scores. So, if the test scores in the area are bad we know we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tuvia-tenenbom/in-america-we-build-prisons-based-on-third-grade-test-scores-so-if/) [Tuvia Tenenbom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tuvia-tenenbom/) > [I don't know why we'd need so many more prisons when the crooks seem so happy in the Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-layton/i-don-t-know-why-we-d-need-so-many-more-prisons-when-the-crooks-seem/) [Jack Layton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-layton/) > ['Dad, how does it feel having the best son in the world?' I don't know, ask your grandfather...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dad-how-does-it-feel-having-the-best-son-in-the-world-i-don-t-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cleaning the house for my mom when she's at work because all my step dad does is play video games and won't lift a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cleaning-the-house-for-my-mom-when-she-s-at-work-because-all-my-step/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“As soon as the door closed behind my father, Alec turned to me, coffee mug halfway to his mouth. "You faced down a hellion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/as-soon-as-the-door-closed-behind-my-father-alec-turned-to-me-coffee/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [My dad didn't know that I had an eating disorder. He had no idea, so that was weird. 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He did it off the neighbor's balcony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/my-dad-does-flips-or-did-i-saw-him-do-a-backflip-at-a-family-barbecue/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [My dad does a good job of reminding me where I came from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-crowder/my-dad-does-a-good-job-of-reminding-me-where-i-came-from/) [Jae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-crowder/) > [Mum is a photographer, and Dad does world music and plays almost every instrument except for drums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/mum-is-a-photographer-and-dad-does-world-music-and-plays-almost-every/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [Performing for my dad does drive me on. Especially in big games, massive games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-sterling/performing-for-my-dad-does-drive-me-on-especially-in-big-games/) [Raheem Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-sterling/) > [My father and mother have given me so much love, so much support, that it would trivialize their parenthood if I would reduce it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/my-father-and-mother-have-given-me-so-much-love-so-much-support-that/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I'm an artist, and I go in the studio and make my music. And then I'll give it to my dad and he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-simpson/i-m-an-artist-and-i-go-in-the-studio-and-make-my-music-and-then-i-ll/) [Ashlee Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-simpson/) ## More by Mike Singletary > [The No. 1 thing is you want to be able to win the game, and we're going to do whatever we have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/the-no-1-thing-is-you-want-to-be-able-to-win-the-game-and-we-re-going/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [Nobody intimidates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/nobody-intimidates-me/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [Because too many times in life there's just one person that I met, just one thing that I heard, one movie that I saw,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/because-too-many-times-in-life-there-s-just-one-person-that-i-met/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? 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The bottom line is you have to do what you think is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/i-m-sure-there-s-a-right-way-and-there-s-a-wrong-way-the-bottom-line/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [I want winners. I want people who want to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/i-want-winners-i-want-people-who-want-to-win/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [It's very important that you focus on winning games and being consistent down the stretch. I think that's what we're focused on. 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In one part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/here-i-am-11-years-old-and-these-grown-men-have-to-give-it-everything/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I always remember what my dad told me when I decided to turn into an actor. He was emphatic that whatever I do, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthi/i-always-remember-what-my-dad-told-me-when-i-decided-to-turn-into-an/) [Karthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthi/) > [My mom and dad had the relationship that I want, and they were teammates. They were always equal 50/50.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/my-mom-and-dad-had-the-relationship-that-i-want-and-they-were/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [My father was the role model I looked up. My dad was an entertainer, too. I patterned my life after him. He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/my-father-was-the-role-model-i-looked-up-my-dad-was-an-entertainer/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. 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It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) [Browse all 9,737 Dad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a dad does his job, we don't need prisons, we don't need jails. 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