Jailers are the most pathetic, sadistic, and petty Skaven that the Clan can round up to take a job that few want. Skaven jailers watch over prisoners who are deemed too risky to be put into Slave gangs. Their job requires them to feed and torment the prisoners: the feeding is rare, but the tormenting is frequent.
—Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Skaven — Book of the Rat (1st ed)
No one was sorry to see [Dunahy] go, but nobody was pleased to see Greg Stammas step into his shoes, either. He was a short man with a tight, hard gut and the coldest brown eyes you ever saw. He always had a pained, pursed little grin on his face, as if he had to go to the bathroom but couldn't quite manage it. During Stammas' tenure as warden, there was a lot of brutality at Shawshank, and although I have no proof, I believe there were maybe half a dozen midnight burials in the stand of scrub forest that lies east of the prison. Dunahy was bad, but Greg Stammas was a cruel, wretched hard-hearted man.
"Son, six wardens have been through here in my tenure, and I've learned one immutable, universal truth: Not one of them born whose asshole wouldn't pucker up tighter than a snare drum when you ask them for funds."
—Brooks, The Shawshank Redemption
"He's got scams you haven't even dreamed of. Kickbacks on his kickbacks. There's a river of dirty money running through this place."
—Andy Dufresne on Warden Samuel Norton, The Shawshank Redemption
Warden Ackerman: Today, we have a new intake. To them, I say: obey the rules, keep out of trouble, and your time here will pass much more pleasantly. Welcome to Floor 13.
The Cat: Seems like a nice guy.
[Ackerman elbows him in the guts and whacks him over the head with his nightstick]
Warden Ackerman: If you want to speak, ask my permission.
—Red Dwarf, "Pete Part 1"
In here, you got no voice. You got no rights. You used to be a citizen... but from the moment you reached the bottom of stupid, your dumb asses belonged to the state of Georgia! If you are a recidivist, then you know the rules. If, however, this is your first visit to the Seagate theme park, let me just say... long as you follow the rules, you'll be fine. Rule number one: you will obey every rule I say after rule number one. Rule number two: none but the righteous shall see God. And since we ain't got no righteous people in here, God ain't gonna have to worry about your shitty prayers. So that means I'm his mean, shitty substitute. [notices Luke scoffing] Rule number three: ain't no talking when I'm talking. [thumps Luke in the chest] Don't start a fight if you can't take a punch.
—Albert Rackham, Luke Cage (2016), "Step In The Arena"
Warden Kuril: As you can see, we keep tight control over the population: each prisoner's cell is a self-contained modular unit. I've blown a few out the airlocks as an example. The ship is made up of thirty cellblocks identical to this one; we house thousands of criminals. We can put the whole place on lockdown at a moment's notice. Nothing goes wrong here.
Commander Shepard: Maintaining a population this size in space can't be cheap.
Warden Kuril: We can cut corners that governments can't, and each prisoner brings in a fee from his homeworld. These individuals are violent, and their home planets pay well to keep them here.
Commander Shepard: What happens if the homeworld doesn't want to pay?
Warden Kuril: We explain that we can't maintain the prisoner without their help... so we'll be forced to release him back onto his homeoworld — at an unspecified place and time.
You're gonna learn my rules, 46592. But one word from me, and visitation with that daughter of yours? It's over. Forever. So... you gonna eat your protein or not?
—Dale Holiday, Jessica Jones (2015)
Fear. A Jedi spends his whole life training against it. But at the Citadel, breaking Jedi is our specialty. Within these walls, the will learn to fear us.
—Osi Sobeck, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Citadel
The Snugiraffe was halfway though its "it may sound like a bit of a cliche, but no one has ever escaped from this Penal Colony and the reason for that is it's totally impossible" speech before any of what it was saying was in the slightest way audible. Those who weren't able to be sick, like the mechanoids and holograms, were dry-retching. So the noise was substantial. The Snugiraffe continued unabashed; as far is it was concerned, it was all just water off its deformed hump. Finally, Lister was able to hear the tail end of the speech.
"...however, if you attempt to escape and you are caught, you will be erased, but not before..." The Snugiraffe paused, and a fresh discharge the colour of drowned frogs leaked out of the corner of its mouth. "But not before-" it repeated, "-you have shared my bed."
—Red Dwarf: Last Human
Vargas: I want in.
Nathan Drake: In?
Vargas: Bring me whatever you find up there.
Nate: Now, come on, Vargas. The deal was just to get us in and out of here, that's all.
Vargas: Just?! I'm sticking my neck out for you gringoes!
Nate: Yeah, and Rafe is paying you a lot of money for your trouble.
Vargas: True... (pulls out an important envelope) But not nearly enough.
Nate: Hey, you were told not to open that!
Vargas: Yes. I was also told not to take bribes, not to bring anyone here, and not to beat on my inmates. But here we are.
Nathan Drake: In?
Vargas: Bring me whatever you find up there.
Nate: Now, come on, Vargas. The deal was just to get us in and out of here, that's all.
Vargas: Just?! I'm sticking my neck out for you gringoes!
Nate: Yeah, and Rafe is paying you a lot of money for your trouble.
Vargas: True... (pulls out an important envelope) But not nearly enough.
Nate: Hey, you were told not to open that!
Vargas: Yes. I was also told not to take bribes, not to bring anyone here, and not to beat on my inmates. But here we are.
"What, you really feel sorry for them people? You think normal people just wake up one morning and decide they're going to work in a prison? They're perverts, every last one of them."
—Vanessa Lutz, Freeway
"I am the law of last resort. My name is Amanda Waller. I am not your mother, your maiden aunt, or your friend. I am your warden."
Young Justice (2010), "Terrors"
