--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not the prisoners who need…" description: "\"It is not the prisoners who need reformation, it is the prisons.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/oscar-wilde-16_crime_it-is-not-the-prisoners-who-need-reforma_597124.jpg" --- # It is not the prisoners who need reformation, it is the… ![“It is not the prisoners who need reformation, it is the prisons.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/oscar-wilde-16_crime_it-is-not-the-prisoners-who-need-reforma_597124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/oscar-wilde-16_crime_it-is-not-the-prisoners-who-need-reforma_597124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74c/oscar-wilde-16_crime_it-is-not-the-prisoners-who-need-reforma_597124.jpg) > “It is not the prisoners who need reformation, it is the prisons.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal change must focus on reforming institutions, not just individuals. **In simple terms:** Fix systems, not just people. Key Takeaway Target structural reform. Themes justice systemic change reform Mood critical reflective Type analytical social commentary When to use this quote - prison reform - policy making - activism - education - law enforcement Key Concepts institutional critique social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What systemic changes could reduce recidivism? - How can individuals influence institutional reform? A Different Perspective Changing institutions is complex and may face entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners/) [Prisoners Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners-need-4875729/) [Prisons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisons/) [Reformation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reformation/) [Reformation Prisons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reformation-prisons-4875728/) ## Related quotes > [Prisons function by isolating those of us who are incarcerated from any means of support other than those charged with keeping us imprisoned: first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/prisons-function-by-isolating-those-of-us-who-are-incarcerated-from/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [“Only prisoners were ever granted easy passage into a prison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/only-prisoners-were-ever-granted-easy-passage-into-a-prison/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“The prisons in the United States had long been an extreme reflection of the American system itself: the stark life differences between rich and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-prisons-in-the-united-states-had-long-been-an-extreme-reflection/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [What do prisoners do? Write, of course; even if they have to use blood as ink, as the Marquis de Sade did. The reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-weaver-flaherty/what-do-prisoners-do-write-of-course-even-if-they-have-to-use-blood/) [Alice Weaver Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-weaver-flaherty/) > [What I have experienced is nothing compared to what political prisoners in prisons suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/what-i-have-experienced-is-nothing-compared-to-what-political/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [“rip the prisons open put the convicts on television”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/rip-the-prisons-open-put-the-convicts-on-television/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“Instead of making prisoners out of our students, we ought to make students out of our prisoners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-silver/instead-of-making-prisoners-out-of-our-students-we-ought-to-make/) [Paul W. 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They have all created victims, some in cruel and callous ways, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-reid/prisons-are-about-addictions-most-prisoners-are-casualties-of-their/) [Stephen Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-reid/) > [This is what happens in prisons I think you're not giving the prisoners the credit for how ingenious they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-davies/this-is-what-happens-in-prisons-i-think-you-re-not-giving-the/) [Philip Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-davies/) > [What a strange world it is, where prisoners are left their weapons and the written word is a mortal danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/what-a-strange-world-it-is-where-prisoners-are-left-their-weapons-and/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [Prisoners at the bar, have you anything to say in your defence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/prisoners-at-the-bar-have-you-anything-to-say-in-your-defence/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [They came to know the incorrigible sorrow of all prisoners and exiles, which is to live in company with a memory that serves no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/they-came-to-know-the-incorrigible-sorrow-of-all-prisoners-and-exiles/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The same things that we hurray and support in other places, like people like Nelson Mandela, our prisoners were doing the same thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekou-odinga/the-same-things-that-we-hurray-and-support-in-other-places-like/) [Sekou Odinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sekou-odinga/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. 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I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. 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