ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part considers the harms of violent crime, the culpability of offenders, and how to judge wrongdoing. It introduces new words and concepts to the discussion: souls and individual identity, blame and moral regard, melodrama and tragedy. The part shows that in addition to physical and emotional harms, violence damages the souls of victims. It explores how popular assumptions about good guys versus bad guys can distort our judgment about wrongdoing. Using examples from child sexual abuse scandals and race bias in criminal justice, survivors learn about the importance of moral regard in assessing wrongdoing. The part aims to develop the principle of blame for moral disregard. Instead of linking blame to intent to harm, survivors see that blame for criminal violence involves harm-doing where the actor fails to see the uniqueness of the other person and care for his or her good.
