--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wherever there's a prison, for the most…" description: "\"Wherever there's a prison, for the most part, especially where there's Black people, it's overcrowded. I don't know who really gets out.\" — Terry McMillan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/terry-mcmillan-7261_black_wherever-there-s-a-prison-for-the-most-p_2586633.jpg" --- # Wherever there's a prison, for the most part, especially… ![“Wherever there's a prison, for the most part, especially where there's Black people, it's overcrowded. I don't know who really gets out.” quote by Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/terry-mcmillan-7261_black_wherever-there-s-a-prison-for-the-most-p_2586633.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/terry-mcmillan-7261_black_wherever-there-s-a-prison-for-the-most-p_2586633.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d6/terry-mcmillan-7261_black_wherever-there-s-a-prison-for-the-most-p_2586633.jpg) > “Wherever there's a prison, for the most part, especially where there's Black people, it's overcrowded. I don't know who really gets out.” [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prisons, especially with Black inmates, are overcrowded and release rates unclear. **In simple terms:** Prisons overcrowded; release uncertain. Key Takeaway Advocate for prison reform. Themes justice race incarceration Mood urgent concerned Type activist critical When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community support - legal aid Key Concepts systemic racism criminal justice reform Questions to Reflect On - How to improve transparency? - What reforms reduce overcrowding? A Different Perspective Data on releases often lacking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Overcrowded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcrowded-232872/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Overcrowded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-overcrowded-1824939/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-especially-1824938/) ## Related quotes > [They're not supposed to show prison films in prison. Especially ones that are about escaping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/they-re-not-supposed-to-show-prison-films-in-prison-especially-ones/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [“An overcrowded world is the ideal place in which to be lonely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-w-aldiss/an-overcrowded-world-is-the-ideal-place-in-which-to-be-lonely/) [Brian W. Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-w-aldiss/) > [No profession, trade, or calling, is overcrowded in the upper story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/no-profession-trade-or-calling-is-overcrowded-in-the-upper-story/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [Now perhaps an excessive dread of overpopulation--overcrowding--reflects not an outward reality, but an inward state of mind. If you feel overcrowded when you're not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/now-perhaps-an-excessive-dread-of-overpopulation-overcrowding/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > ['The Vampire Diaries' is a great show, but it's on the verge of being overcrowded. 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Too many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/overcrowding-which-is-one-symptom-of-the-population-instability/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [The platform of services is as big as the world. It is never overcrowded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-platform-of-services-is-as-big-as-the-world-it-is-never/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If there is in fact, a heaven and a hell, all we know for sure is that hell will be a viciously overcrowded version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-there-is-in-fact-a-heaven-and-a-hell-all-we-know-for-sure-is-that/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I hate being in overcrowded places. I'm a laid back person, nothing gets me angry but that pissed me off. I value personal space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-being-in-overcrowded-places-i-m-a-laid-back-person-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your life is in harmony, then your life is full and good, but not overcrowded. If it is overcrowded, you are doing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/if-your-life-is-in-harmony-then-your-life-is-full-and-good-but-not/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [They must have a feeling of do or die. It is such an overcrowded profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-jameson/they-must-have-a-feeling-of-do-or-die-it-is-such-an-overcrowded/) [Louise Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-jameson/) > [Why is the rest of the world so overcrowded? Nobody lives in America! We're all squashed up on top of each other in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/why-is-the-rest-of-the-world-so-overcrowded-nobody-lives-in-america/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“Do overcrowded houses breed dogs?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miquiel-banks/do-overcrowded-houses-breed-dogs/) [Miquiel Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miquiel-banks/) ## More by Terry McMillan > [It should be obvious that I wasn't no honor roll student in high school. My favorite class was boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/it-should-be-obvious-that-i-wasn-t-no-honor-roll-student-in-high/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [The best rush in the world is getting something at 80 percent off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/the-best-rush-in-the-world-is-getting-something-at-80-percent-off/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [I'm a fast writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-m-a-fast-writer/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [It's not that marriage itself is bad; it's the people we marry who give it a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/it-s-not-that-marriage-itself-is-bad-it-s-the-people-we-marry-who/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [If you jump to conclusions, you make terrible landings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/if-you-jump-to-conclusions-you-make-terrible-landings/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [I'm not an angry woman. I'm not bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-m-not-an-angry-woman-i-m-not-bitter/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [My mama taught me that anything worth doing in life should be a little scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/my-mama-taught-me-that-anything-worth-doing-in-life-should-be-a/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [As far as young kids go, my primary interest is to get parents to read to their kids. That's about the most you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/as-far-as-young-kids-go-my-primary-interest-is-to-get-parents-to-read/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [I would be content being a housewife if I could find the kind of man who wouldn't treat me like one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-would-be-content-being-a-housewife-if-i-could-find-the-kind-of-man/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [I've got tons of irreplaceable information inside the soul of this computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-ve-got-tons-of-irreplaceable-information-inside-the-soul-of-this/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [It's sad to think that we've gotten to this, that we actually have to think about how to go about finding a man. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/it-s-sad-to-think-that-we-ve-gotten-to-this-that-we-actually-have-to/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [Cruising the Internet doesn't count as writing. Neither does answering e-mail. Before you check Twitter & FB and do other similar tasks that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/cruising-the-internet-doesn-t-count-as-writing-neither-does-answering/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [“I had been on a whole lot of folks' prayer lists and God had known for years my address was still 111 Unlucky-in-LOve-Avenue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-had-been-on-a-whole-lot-of-folks-prayer-lists-and-god-had-known-for/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [“Yeah, well all I can say is that a half truth is a still a while lie, ain't it...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/yeah-well-all-i-can-say-is-that-a-half-truth-is-a-still-a-while-lie/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [We get divorce, we get conned, someone we love dies, or we can't find anybody to love us or somebody breaks our heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/we-get-divorce-we-get-conned-someone-we-love-dies-or-we-can-t-find/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) [Explore all 93 Terry McMillan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. 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