I argued that it was not so trivial, that were it not for the precious accident of the train schedule, I would be in prison or dead.

我想胜利不能算小，如果没有火车时刻表给我的宝贵的抢先一着，我早就给关进监狱或者给打死了。

youdao

If a person breaks an important law, the punishment might be a fine or time in prison.

如果一个人违反了一项重要的法律，惩罚可能是罚款或坐牢。

youdao

He faces at most 12 years in prison and could be paroled after eight years.

他面临最多12年的监禁，可以在8年后获得假释。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

You'll be kept in prison for a long time.'" But in reality,there is help.

VOA: special.2010.06.14

"It is unfair because he has done nothing wrong." The five men face life in prison and are expected to be sentenced in December.

VOA: standard.2009.10.17

"A common threat is if you leave we're going to report you to immigration and you'll be arrested, you'll be kept in prison for a long time."

VOA: standard.2010.05.24

Denise Bulger believes her son's murderers - men now - should be in prison for ever.

BBC: James Bulger murder: Shelagh Fogarty remembers the trial

When sentenced on July 1st, Farkas (58), who was taken into custody after the verdict, could be in prison for the remainder of his life.

FORBES: Lee Farkas (Taylor Bean & Whitaker) Finds Closure After Guilty Verdict

Which leads, further, to one piece of radical common sense: since prison plays at best a small role in stopping even violent crime, very few people, rich or poor, should be in prison for a nonviolent crime.

NEWYORKER: The Caging of America