Book excerpt: Violence is a common thread through the fabric of many people living in the lower socio-econimic layers of our society. Murder, assaults and other violent crimes are everyday occurrences. Yet, the people who commit these crimes are everday people, often with colourful, appealing personalities. This book looks at over two dozen of those persons and at the other side of their lives: the human part. It is a recollection of the person interactions of the author with each of these characters. All of the stories are true, and factually accurate. In some cases, Lee has changed the names. In other cases, he have not. People such as Jon Waluk and Larry Fisher, who were convicted of killing two infants and their mother, allegedly over a drug deal, are reviled by many as the "lowest of the low." Yet they were individuals with many redemming qualities. The case of Dennis Edwin Proctor, convicted of killing one girl and raping two, as well as his subsequent incarceration in a mental facility, is examined. The stories of several police officers who "crossed the line" of acceptable behaviour are provided. To counterbalance those tales, the author provides an intriguing look at the actions of several exceptional law enforcement people. The author brings an intimate understanding of the personal lives of many of his friends and associates -- an understanding that only someone having lived within that environment can fathom.