English Expression: If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime
If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime is an expression often said to criminals who don’t want to go to jail.
I think it comes from common sense.
If you can’t accept the consequences of doing something wrong, then you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.
In this expression, ‘time’ means spending time in jail. It’s often shortened to you do the crime you do the time.
People like to use this phrase because it rhymes (crime, time) and it has a nice rhythm to it: you do the crime (4 syllables) you do the time (4 syllables).
It is another way of saying that you get what you deserve: people who break the law go to jail.
Criminals and their punishments are often topics of debate in any society.
Citizens don’t want criminals to get off easy. Regular people want to see criminals receive appropriate punishment for the wrongs that they have done.
