If you’re not someone who has ever had occasion to flirt with the law, then it may be that you struggle to understand not only how someone gets convicted in the first place, but how and why they would choose to act in a way that would send them back to jail once they got out.

Life is all about trying to better understand other human beings, though, and these 10 convicts who went on to violate the terms of their probation talk about why – and what happened to them when they did.

10. Let that fear motivate you in the future.

You definitely won’t want to go back there again.

9. One mistake can set you all the way back.

Only if you let it, though.

8. I guess they should have thought about that ahead of time.

Impulses can be hard to control.

7. It’s nice to hear about a fair and just judge.

I feel like we mostly hear about the opposite, to be honest.

6. At school, no less.

Everyone should know there are serious consequences for that.

5. “Now what” is the big question, my friend.

Like, now seems like a great time to really consider it and make the right move.

4. Something to contemplate, I suppose.

Now that you’re going to have plenty of time to think about it.

3. Things like that sure make it seem easy to just give up.

You can’t do it though. You’ve gotta keep soldiering on.

2. Might as well go all out, right?

One last hurrah…or you know, spend time with your family.

1. It sounds like Dad was at the end of his rope.

My heart just hurts for everyone in that situation.

These are some interesting confessions, for sure. No judgement from me, a person who truly doesn’t have any personal experience.

If you do, though, share your own experience with probation and parole with us in the comments!