I think that this is highly dependent. Are you being blind with your kindness? Are we giving too many breaks? Is it at the expense of a victim? If we can give kindness to give an opportunity to change great but don't be foolish about it. 

@madhatter 

Can we ever say compassion to those being actively cruel (not accidentally, or just 'under pressure' cruel (as people equate my shift from my regular laid back self to my 'no nonsense, no joy' style of management when I am put under too much pressure, which I always apologise for before and after work, and people know to expect it simply because its how i deal with being neurodivergents and quickly running outta spoons). But instead those that are actively choosing cruelty? The puppy-kickers of the world. Can we have compassion for them?

@Arisaig 

To a degree yes. Can I pity whatever drove them to that? Yes. Can I stay my hand from dropping into cruelty myself when stopping them? Yes. Can I advocate for humane punishments and jail conditions for them when they are convicted? Yes. That is the level of compassion we can show. But compassion to the point of excuses or forgiveness? Not necessarily. 

I think that compassionate approach to those puppy-kickers isn't always best approach to pick, although I understand they are themselves in pain and trying to inhibit those feelings by bullying the compassion wouldn't work in every situation.
For example if we take group of adolescents in the public transport bullying, there can be several results.
1)Either the group is full of weak personality and insecure people, in that case compassion can work out and can be remedy
2)The group is full of strong in personality (but weak inside) it can be tricky, but in every case depends on the strength of individual who would talk to them.

And then of course mix of both, but the problem is these days that adolescent are more daring, cruel and aggressive than before and things are getting out of hand.
The point I am trying to make is whether the speech to them would make any change in their minds to stop their behaviour, in addition if they are doing it for fun, they are uncontrollable.

It's hard to say how would I act in situation like this, part of me would probably use authority and voice intimidation to put an end to it (in the 1) case), I can not stand seeing bullying a weaker one, in addition when they are convinced they can do whatever they want, they are in pain for sure, but at the same time I think they feel very small amount of fear or have zero conscience.

I am realising that it's not the best approach for Jedi philosophy but sometime it's necessary, otherwise there would be much more criminals in the future. We can sympathize with them and offer help separately, but in the larger group it's tricky if not impossible when group is aggressive.

But if it would be and aggressive group, I wouldn't be strong enough to face them, I would ask someone who seem strong to approach them and stop them together. How would you act in situation like these?