The author recounts Jackson's story to characterize the nature of violence in the United States and the effect of violence on victims. He follows Jackson from the time when Jackson killed his probation officer through his subsequent crime rampage using stolen trucks and cars in Indiana and Missouri as he attempted to escape capture. In particular, Jackson robbed, killed, and kidnaped residents of a small town outside St. Louis. The local residents were terrorized, and a significant amount of local police resources were devoted to apprehending Jackson. The pursuit of Jackson also involved State troopers and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. The author vividly discusses the effect of Jackson's crime spree on his mother and wife and on the wife and family of the probation officer Jackson killed.