Bernard Madoff has told ABC News' Barbara Walters—in an interview on the occasion of his daughter's book—that he feels safer in prison than he has in 20 years.

"I feel safer here than outside," Madoff told Walters. "Days go by. I have people to talk to and no decisions to make.... I know that I will die in prison. I lived the last 20 years of my life in fear. Now I have no fear—nothing to think about because I'm no longer in control of my own life."

It's nice to know that Madoff is finding his prison time so enjoyable. For the record, he'd like to clear up a few misconceptions: People don't hate him because he ripped off thousands of people and stole billions. It's because he didn't make them enough money:

"I understand why clients hate me," he said. "The gravy train is over. I can live with that. The average person thinks I robbed widows and orphans. I made wealthy people wealthier."

Until you stopped! At which point they had no money, anywhere. They're just made because they lost their sugar daddy.

Madoff also seemed to decline to confirm his wife's account to 60 Minutes of their joint suicide attempt, telling Walters that he only considered suicide, but "didn't have enough courage to do it." Madoff and his wife haven't spoken since their son Mark hung himself last year.

[Image via Getty]