William Wright > Quotes

“People are often in jail because they are honesty-impaired.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“Silent lines of prisoners, handcuffed behind their backs, walked single-file flanked by deputy escorts. The deputies nodded courteously, but otherwise nobody seemed all that excited to see the new doctor.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“If you don’t confront ignorance and stupidity, ignorance and stupidity will think it’s okay.”
― William Wright, A Doctor on the Inside: From the County Jail to the Supermax

“Hygiene of all sorts was a major issue. I’m blessed with a poor sense of smell, but the stench of some of my patients crossed over to the other senses. It’s pretty bad when you can actually see an odor. I won’t get into taste.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“The inmates at CSP were different from our population of law-abiding citizens, but to place them on a different planet would be a mistake. There was no absolute disconnect between these men and the rest of society. Every one of us harbors a streak of dishonesty, of amorality, of suppressed violence. Given the right circumstances we all are capable of atrocious actions.”
― William Wright, Maximum Insecurity: A Doctor in the Supermax

“Since the Inquisition, we’ve approached the phenomenon of evil behavior by punishing the individual. It isn’t working all that well. I think approaching evil as more of a public health problem may be more productive. Fix the water supply, and not as many people get sick. Fix a toxic environment, and not as many people turn to crime as their best solution.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“normal people placed in an abnormal situation will adapt to conform to their new environment. Since the Inquisition, we’ve approached the phenomenon of evil behavior by punishing the individual. It isn’t working all that well. I think approaching evil as more of a public health problem may be more productive. Fix the water supply, and not as many people get sick. Fix a toxic environment, and not as many people turn to crime as their best solution.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“We all looked blankly at each other. Even Carl. I guess I should say that Carl’s face looked even more blank than usual. I wondered if the three-day rule was like the five-second rule if you accidentally drop something on the floor that you want to eat.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“I think environment and the systems that create that environment are potent shaping forces. Does that excuse the murderer or rapist? Not a bit. But it can help us to understand how these tendencies develop and maybe grant us the wisdom to intervene earlier and prevent the later crime. An ounce of prevention. It might work. Ask Sven. ★ ★ ★”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“Just show me the correct technique.” I shrugged and gave him the PPCT-approved strike that would probably hurt me more than the attacker. “Much better,” he said. Class over.”
― William Wright, Maximum Insecurity: A Doctor in the Supermax

“Nearly half of all homeless people have a history of traumatic brain injury. I used to think that this was because of the rough life they encountered on the streets, but I learned that almost all of the initial injuries occurred before they became homeless.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“short poem, by the Danish writer, Piet Hein, which seemed to cover the situation: An Ethical Grook I see   and I hear      and I speak no evil; I carry   no malice      within my breast; yet quite without   wishing      a man to the Devil one may be   permitted      to hope for the best.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“People are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment.”
― William Wright, A Doctor on the Inside: From the County Jail to the Supermax

“The psychologist Philip Zimbardo gave a TED talk last year on this subject. His definition of evil is the exercise of power to intentionally harm another. Works for me.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“80 percent of death row inmates in the U.S. are products of the juvenile justice system.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“People settle in to the known and the comfortable. Change takes independent thought, courage and a little dynamite.”
― William Wright, Maximum Insecurity: A Doctor in the Supermax

“Diabetes, like the tide, waits for no man.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“In the law, being sent to prison has nothing to do with putting you in a terrible prison to make you suffer. The punishment is that you lose your freedom. If we treat people like animals when they are in prison, they are likely to behave like animals when released.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“of evil is the exercise of power to intentionally harm another. Works for me. Ranging from the jail to the supermax prison, I’ve had patients with all gradations of the trait. Some I felt were “born that way” with gruesome stories back to early childhood. Others were recent converts to the criminal world and seemed to cross over the line prodded by a particular situation. In the case of murderers, the distinction didn’t make much difference to their victims. It does make a difference when I look in the mirror and ask, “Could I do that?” I’m afraid the answer is yes. If I could kill someone, does that make me an evil person? Are my patients evil because of what they’ve done? Maybe we’re all potentially evil. But I believe the flip side is also true—we’re all potentially heroic.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“The psychologist Philip Zimbardo gave a TED talk last year on this subject. His definition”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“Call me shallow, but there’s something innately satisfying in seeing the haughty brought low, especially if they’ve given you a hard time during their reign.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“Ethical Grook I see   and I hear      and I speak no evil; I carry   no malice      within my breast; yet quite without   wishing      a man to the Devil one may be   permitted      to hope for the best.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“You can't fall out of the basement.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“how their sons were being mistreated, and they always were very sincere. Mom believed her son unquestioningly despite his past performances and was hell-bent to take up his cause. I can appreciate a mother’s love for her offspring, but nearly always she’s been taken in by his one-sided spin. She’s so used to his lies that a few more don’t make much difference. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to talk to Mom very often. Usually the administration fielded these calls unless there was a real medical issue at stake. Like my ulcerative colitis patient, Scott. Scott’s mom wanted to know why her son wasn’t on his UC medication. “Scott didn’t mention taking any medication for his UC. He said it hasn’t flared up in over a year.” “That’s not true. I give him money for his medication every month. He’s regular with it.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“The psychologist Philip Zimbardo gave a TED talk last year on this subject. His definition of evil is the exercise of power to intentionally harm another.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail

“One of the instructors asked me to demonstrate a PPCT strike. I did. “No, no,” he said. “You can’t do it that way. You’ll hurt the offender.” “Isn’t that the point?” I asked. “Not at all. You want just enough force to neutralize the attack.” “Well, yeah,” I said. “But if a crazed 250-pound murderer with a shiv is charging me, I’m not going to get all touchy-feely about putting him down.” “There are cameras everywhere,” he said, as if that settled things. “So?” “So you’ll end up in court on a charge of using excessive force.”
― William Wright, Maximum Insecurity: A Doctor in the Supermax

“normal people placed in an abnormal situation will adapt to conform to their new environment.”
― William Wright, Jailhouse Doc: A Doctor in the County Jail