We begin and end this journey with a tremendous amount of gratitude. What began as a vision shared through numerous discussions has now become a reality. We have long believed that every nurse is a forensic nurse, in that every nurse encounters patients with forensic issues at some and often multiple points in his or her practice. This book enables us to share our vision while providing information that can enhance and transform nursing practice. We dedicate this book to victims of violence throughout the world and hope that in some way this book will impact caregivers in such a way that care of victims across the continuum will improve as nurses become more and more knowledgeable about ways they can make a difference in victims' lives. We also acknowledge the complexity of issues related to perpetrators of violence, many of whom were also victims at a time in their lives. We look to a time when the healthcare system is fully prepared to provide optimal care for all forensic patients.