Janet Reno Quotes

We make no apology for people who should be in prison being in prison.

I strongly believe that for serious and violent criminals, we must absolutely hold them accountable for their crimes and send them to prison.

Generally speaking, the public appetite for criminal justice policy is just tough talk.

All of us have made mistakes in our lives, but only some of us have had to pay for the mistakes. [By going to jail.]

No one would normally accuse me of being soft on crime.

You will feel the full force of the law and if you are old enough to commit these crimes you are old enough to face the punishments. And to these people I would say this: you are not only wrecking the lives of others, you are potentially wrecking your own life too.

We have determined as a society, as a country, as a people, that the incarceration and the supervision and the specific fines for a particular crime are that person's debt to society.

If we believe in our current penal process, then the penalties imposed by judges and juries should be the only sanctions for one's crime, not the invisible sanctions of the legislature.

A far greater factor than abolishing poverty is the deterrent effect of swift and certain consequences: swift arrest, prompt trial, certain penalty and - at some point - finality of judgment.

Now, I - for several years while I was researching this book, I felt quite obsessed by thoughts about sentencing, punishment, how judges arrive at their decisions.

If you seek violence, we will seek to put you in jail.

There are a lot of messages that need to be sent to the criminal who is out there dealing in this on the streets of the United States. We need to send the message of swiftness and certain punishment.

The message has to be sent that if you commit a crime there has to be punishment.

Our laws are too lax, our justice system too weak - particularly when it comes to violent, dangerous offenders.

Juveniles as well as adults need to know they're going to be punished for their violent acts.

Even without mandatory sentences, judges are still capable of levying tough penalties for serious offenses - and just as in states like Texas that have 'tough on crime' reputations, this can be done without jeopardizing public safety.

There must be real consequences for those who commit crimes in our neighborhoods.

There is one stark fact facing us: three quarters of all crime that results in a caution or sentence happens because of reoffending. We must be fearless in dealing with this.

A proper criminal justice system exacts justice - that is, punishes criminals for their crimes. Rehabilitation and deterrence are worthy goals, but they are secondary to retribution.

I have prosecuted very serious criminals who are now serving very long jail sentences.

Certainly, I don't think I can ever be accused of being soft on crime.

I think we will be safer when we can concentrate law enforcement and criminal justice resources and energies on those individuals who truly need, for the safety of society... to be incarcerated.

The purpose of our justice system is to reflect the values of our society and to punish those who violate our standards.

One of the things about jail that's weird is that you're sent to a place where you're supposed to sit there and think about your actions and their consequences and why you're there. And I think now, it turns more into - the minute you go there, it's just survival.

The act of policing is, in order to punish less often, to punish more severely.