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Hard time may be the only deterrent for young offenders

09 Jul 05:55am

Filed under: Crime, Education, Jamie Bulger, Jon Venables, Justice, Lindsay Lohan, Parenting, Youth

Last weekend my heart sank as I watched the 60 minutes investigation into the horrific UK murder in 1993 of 2-year-old James Bulger.

Charged with more offences as an adult: Jon Venables / File

The vicious murder of the toddler by Robert Thompson and Jon Venables is regarded as one of the most violent crimes of Britain’s modern history, particularly because the boys who committed it, were themselves only kids at 10 years of age. This story always leaves me deeply saddened and sickened to my stomach every time I hear about it – not just as a father, but as a human being. The fact that two young boys could be so calculated, violent and evil is hard to comprehend.

When you hear about terrible things like this, the last thing you expect is to discover is that they were carried out by children themselves. It’s terrifying. What’s equally hard to comprehend is the sentence they received – 8 years of detention and rehabilitation. Is that a suitable punishment?

Continue reading "Hard time may be the only deterrent for young offenders" »

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Kate says:

11:59pm | 13/03/12

I think juvenile offenders deserved some juvenile boot camp to set them straight. Juvenile boot camps can provide the necessary structure to change negative behavior and thinking. They can be effective in addressing juvenile crime. Juveniles are important for several reasons. We should do all we can, as early as… Read more »
Emma says:

02:39am | 20/07/10

The Albert Kirby money machine: http://www.crimespeakers.com/pdfs/akirby.pdf If you have to go through his agent to get hold of him, it is pretty clear where his motivations really lie .... That anyone could think that man can be said to contribute anything of real value to the ongoing discussion about the… Read more »

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