History Main / NeverGoingBackToPrison

* In ''Film/{{Collateral}}'' Daniel sold out TheCartel because "they said I could help them or go back inside. And I'm ''not'' going back inside."

* Soviet Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky claimed to carry a loaded revolver at all times, even in bed; he’d been in the Gulag before being restored to command in 1940, and dud not intend to go back under any circumstances

* ''Film/AntMan'': Scott's goal is this, as he wants to be a good role model for his daughter. He does prove willing to risk it when circumstances conspire to keep him from the child support he needs to see her, though.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'', one of Krieg's skins gives him [[InstitutionalApparel black-and-white striped pants]] and a prisoner number [[WalkingShirtlessScene tattooed on his chest.]] The skin's called "I’LL NEVER GO BACK".
* In ''VideoGame/{{Invisible Inc}}'', Central states that, if Incognita runs out of power (thus allowing the corporations to find and easily capture what remains of Invisible Inc.), that "we may as well just crash this thing into the ocean."

** In a variation, a schizophrenic man who agreed to a "[[InsanityDefense not guilty by reason of mental disease]]" plea on a murder charge panics when he learns he's going to be placed in the custody of the Department Of Health, convinced that "they" are trying to shut him up about another murder. Detectives ultimately determine that while his fear was misplaced, [[MinorCrimeRevealsMajorPlot he really did witness something]] and that someone was, in fact, trying very hard to keep him quiet, or at least ensure no one would take him seriously.

* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''Disney/OneHundredAndOneDalmatiansIIPatchsLondonAdventure''. After some slapstick-filled hijinks involving Nanny and the pigs on the farm, Horace asks Jasper, "Can we go back to jail now?" in a similar tone to a kid asking to go home.

* Dominic Toretto from ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' did two years in Lompoc for assault. He tells Brian he'll die before he goes back.

* The only real moment of characterization in ''Film/JemAndTheHolograms'' is when one of the girls, as they commit breaking and entering, declares in a panic that she "can't go back to juvvy!"

{{Prison}} is [[CaptainObvious not a nice place]]. There are lots of reason for this: the loss of freedom, possibly being treated like you're not even human, wondering which fellow prisoner might decide that some petty grudge needs to be paid back by [[DisproportionateRetribution killing you]], the toll that things like [[GoMadFromTheIsolation Solitary Confinement]] or PrisonRape [[MindRape can take on your mind]]. [[HellholePrison And it can always get worse]].

* ''Series/{{NUMB3RS}}'': In "Trust Metric", Dwayne Carter draws his gun on multiple police officers before [[spoiler:Colby]] intervenes and they get away. When [[spoiler:Colby]] asks what he was thinking, he replies, "I was thinking 'I'm going to die before I go back to jail.'" [[spoiler:Colby's]] reaction suggests he understands why Carter would feel that way.

!!Examples

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder:Web Original]]

[[folder:Web Video]]
* ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony''.
** In "Purple Party Pooper", Twilight threatens to rat out all of her friends. Fluttershy responds, "I can't go back to jail again! The warden is evil!"
** In "Making Babies", Sweetie Belle says "I can't go back to prison! They don't have any soap, it's friggin' unhygenic!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* PlayedForLaughs in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity''. When the team tries to get into the scare factory, most of them freeze up when spotted by security, except for Art who yells, "I can't go back to jail!" and bolts. It's unknown [[NoodleIncident what he was in for]] or [[AlwaysWantedToSayThat whether he was ever actually there in the first place]].
* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanReturnOfTheCapedCrusaders'' Catwoman is faced with the possibility of being sent back to prison. Instead she opts to leap off a blimp and into a a factory smokestack.
* In a variant that doesn't involve prison but is clearly evoking the spirit of this trope, during ''WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut'' Ze Mole states that he's "..Not getting grounded again! Not for you, not for anybody!"
* Another variation in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'': When Jessie The Yodeling Cowgirl has a panic attack at the thought of going back into her packaging in storage, where she's been for many years.

* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''Disney/OneHundredAndOneDalmatiansIIPatchsLondonAdventure'' - after some slapstick-filled hijinks involving Nanny and the pigs on the farm, Horace asks Jasper, "Can we go back to jail now?" in a similar tone to a kid asking to go home.
[[/folder]]

Contrast SelfRestraint and GetOutOfJailFreeCard.

[[quoteright:248:[[Franchise/{{Batman}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/killer_croc.jpg]]]

* Applying this to TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}} can have [[http://funnyasduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/funny-pictures-black-man-jail-monopoly-animated-gif.gif dire consequences.]]

* Players on the Criminals team in BattlefieldHardline will occasionally say phrases to this effect in fighfights.

* Another variation in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' : When Jessie The Yodeling Cowgirl has a panic attack at the thought of going back into her packaging in storage, where she's been for many years.

* In VideoGame/SilentHillDownpour Murphy Pendelton says this to Anne Marie Cunningham, a cop who is trying to send him back after the prison bus crashes in Silent Hill.

* Applying this to TabletopGame/{{Monopoly}} can have [[http://funnyasduck.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/funny-pictures-black-man-jail-monopoly-animated-gif.gif dire consequences]].

* Kevin Levin in season one of ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'' is '''not''' getting sent back to the Null Void, to the point of possibly giving up on stopping an alien invasion when the friendly neighbourhood Space Cop starts questioning the team's actions (note this doesn't stop him from doing anything ''illegal'', just from doing anything that draws attention). He calms down a bit after helping to save the planet/galaxy/universe.