Although one may have stopped being the victim, it somehow does
not necessarily translate into protecting others proactively. It's
more like indirect protection by being spiritually or emotionally
calm and collected.
The questions I'm asking is something like what you have raised
in the criminal example.
"The hurt he/she cause is real, and also also the propensity to
hurt again is always there! So how do we weigh the issues?!!"
These are my concerns for there are no easy answers. Even though
there aren't, such deep issues don't or won't stop me from
searching and reflecting on real-life examples as they occur, be it
either experienced personally or through others.
I am concerned that your reflections may currently not give you
satisfactory anwsers, that you may feel disillusioned and give way
in cynicism and bitterness.
The Buddha, when he saw the sick, aged and death, he was
disillusioned as it affected his world view, which was cloistered
existence compared to outside life. You could say he was living in
a dream.Then he saw a mendicant with dignified and peaceful
countenance.
It was the disillusionment that led him to seek the truth.
Anyway, the term misdirected compassion, may be unsuitable in
this context.
The terms delusional, or demented minds that perpetuate the
atrocities, is more suitable.
Trying to understand the conditions that lead to thoughts and
impulses that leads to the cruel acts. How does delusion arise!
What are the factors? With the full facts available, we
can chronologically recontruct the preceding factors to the
events!