When a young rape victim takes justice into her own hands and becomes a serial killer, it's up to Dirty Harry Callahan, on suspension from the SFPD, to bring her to justice.
Maggie comes from bona fide White Trash, characterized here with possibly the most blatant set of caricatures in any Eastwood-directed film since Sudden Impact.
"Sudden Impact" had one victim turn into a bloodthirsty vigilante and another become a catatonic mute and here, Dave is such a miserable soul, even when we first see him, that he seems to be all but begging us to put him out of his misery.