--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The average prison term for a convicted…" description: "\"The average prison term for a convicted murderer in America is 6.5 years. The average tenure for a member of Congress is 13 years. We've got it backwar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png" --- # The average prison term for a convicted murderer in… ![“The average prison term for a convicted murderer in America is 6.5 years. The average tenure for a member of Congress is 13 years. We've got it backwards. We are giving early release to the wrong criminal class.” quote by Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png) > “The average prison term for a convicted murderer in America is 6.5 years. The average tenure for a member of Congress is 13 years. We've got it backwards. We are giving early release to the wrong criminal class.” [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The justice system releases dangerous criminals early while politicians serve long terms, indicating a misaligned reward structure. **In simple terms:** Criminals get early release, politicians stay long. Key Takeaway Advocate for balanced sentencing and term limits. Themes justice politics sentencing term limits policy Mood concerned urgent Type policy activist When to use this quote - criminal justice reform - legislative advocacy - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts law ethics public policy social equity Questions to Reflect On - What reforms could align punishment with crime severity? - How do term limits affect governance? A Different Perspective Data may be oversimplified or outdated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Murderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderer/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Tenure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenure/) ## Related quotes > [No mandatory prison term for employers who hire illegals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/no-mandatory-prison-term-for-employers-who-hire-illegals/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [At the age of 46, in my sixth prison term, it was the second prison I was in - California Rehabilitation Center. The California…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-burton/at-the-age-of-46-in-my-sixth-prison-term-it-was-the-second-prison-i/) [Susan Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-burton/) > [“Some murders are well worth their prison term.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morrissey/some-murders-are-well-worth-their-prison-term/) [Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morrissey/) > [I do detest all offices - all, at least, that are held on a political tenure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/i-do-detest-all-offices-all-at-least-that-are-held-on-a-political/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [Too often what are called "educated" people are simply people who have been sheltered from reality for years in ivy-covered buildings. Those whose whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/too-often-what-are-called-educated-people-are-simply-people-who-have/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Historically, professors have defended tenure as a way to protect their individualistic thought. But tenure can also be used as a club to wield…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/historically-professors-have-defended-tenure-as-a-way-to-protect/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Let the Common School be expanded to its capabilities, let it be worked with the efficiency of which it is susceptible, and nine tenths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/let-the-common-school-be-expanded-to-its-capabilities-let-it-be/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I was hired for a really excellent academic job early in my life; I was twenty-five when I started at Princeton and I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-lansky/i-was-hired-for-a-really-excellent-academic-job-early-in-my-life-i/) [Paul Lansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-lansky/) > [Only the strongest are put through the fire,' Josiah said. 'And the forge creates things of great strength and beauty.' 'Then I shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-shinn/only-the-strongest-are-put-through-the-fire-josiah-said-and-the-forge/) [Sharon Shinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-shinn/) > [Many conservatives see higher education as a threat to their reactionary and corporate oriented interests and would like to defund higher education, privatize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/many-conservatives-see-higher-education-as-a-threat-to-their/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [I never graduated high school; they had to change the Ivy League rules. During my tenure at Brown, I helped them become the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-evans/i-never-graduated-high-school-they-had-to-change-the-ivy-league-rules/) [Robert Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-evans/) > [But I will say, I think there are some Democrats that don't want to address pension reform. I have taken on the issue of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-villaraigosa/but-i-will-say-i-think-there-are-some-democrats-that-don-t-want-to/) [Antonio Villaraigosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-villaraigosa/) > [In five years of my previous tenure, the treasury was never shut for one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarinder-singh/in-five-years-of-my-previous-tenure-the-treasury-was-never-shut-for/) [Amarinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarinder-singh/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [The whole purpose of annual reviews is to keep you abreast of whether or not you are fulfilling the requirements of tenure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/the-whole-purpose-of-annual-reviews-is-to-keep-you-abreast-of-whether/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) ## More by Pat Robertson > [ We have the ability to take him \[President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez\] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-president-of-venezuela-hugo-chavez/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The Constitution was made for ordinary people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-constitution-was-made-for-ordinary-people/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [I've personally backed off from direct political involvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-ve-personally-backed-off-from-direct-political-involvement/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/it-is-interesting-that-termites-don-t-build-things-and-the-great/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [But I never, never thought of the ministry nor did - of course, television when I was growing up, there was no television. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/but-i-never-never-thought-of-the-ministry-nor-did-of-course/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [But if there's an erosion at home, you know, Thomas Jefferson warned about a tyranny of an oligarchy and if we surrender our democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/but-if-there-s-an-erosion-at-home-you-know-thomas-jefferson-warned/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [ I believe that he \[Jesus\] is Lord of the government, and the church, and business and education, and, hopefully, one day, Lord of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-believe-that-he-jesus-is-lord-of-the-government-and-the-church-and/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [I have a relatively good track record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-have-a-relatively-good-track-record/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The Democratic Party went far to the left, I think, and left some of us stranded on the beach, so we went to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-democratic-party-went-far-to-the-left-i-think-and-left-some-of-us/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [They have kept us in submission because they have talked about separation of church and state. There is no such thing in the Constitution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/they-have-kept-us-in-submission-because-they-have-talked-about/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [We want...as soon as possible to see a majority of the Republican Party in the hands of pro-family Christians by 1996.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/we-want-as-soon-as-possible-to-see-a-majority-of-the-republican-party/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [A government official is a man who has risen from obscurity to something worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/a-government-official-is-a-man-who-has-risen-from-obscurity-to/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The Katrina matter was terrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-katrina-matter-was-terrible/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [You might get AIDS in Kenya, people have AIDS, you’ve got to be careful. I mean, the towels could have AIDS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/you-might-get-aids-in-kenya-people-have-aids-you-ve-got-to-be-careful/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [To say that it all came about 6,000 years ago is just nonsense, and I think it's time we come off of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/to-say-that-it-all-came-about-6-000-years-ago-is-just-nonsense-and-i/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) [Explore all 193 Pat Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [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/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The average prison term for a convicted murderer in America is 6.5 years. The average tenure for a member of Congress is 13 years. We've got it backwards. We are giving early release to the wrong criminal class.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pat Robertson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted-murderer-in-america-is-6-5/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted-murderer-in-america-is-6-5/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/daa/pat-robertson-1972_america_the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted_2554862.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The average prison term for a convicted murderer in America is 6.5 years. The average tenure for a member of…” — Pat Robertson", "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": "Pat Robertson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The average prison term for a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted-murderer-in-america-is-6-5/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/the-average-prison-term-for-a-convicted-murderer-in-america-is-6-5/#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 } } ] } ```