Child Murderer back in jail after being paroled 9 years ago

[IDrinkaRum]

The Death of 2-year-old James Bulger

Toddler is lured away from his mother back in 1992/1993 and is tortured and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. They are convicted and sentenced to 8 years - life for the crime. They serve time until 2001 when they are 18 years old, released, given new identities and told not to get in touch with James Bulger's mother/family, not to go back to where they lived, and to stay out of trouble with the law.

Jon Venables is now back in jail 9 years after his release

British government not saying why Mr. Venables is back in jail. The British Parole Board will now have to determine if he should be returned to jail to finish out his sentence or go back to his new life.

What should be done?

[elsporko]

They aren't saying what he did so we can't really judge what should be done. I will say I don't think somebody should spend life in jail for something they did when they were ten.

[HYHYBT]

I... actually agree with elsporko. "In jail" doesn't mean that it's for anything significant, or even that he did whatever he was arrested for. Now, if it turns out to be something like the original crime, and he's convicted of it, by all means throw the remainder of the old sentence on top of the new one.

[AdminAssistant]

I don't think they should have been released at 18 in the first place. I'm sorry, I'm all for second chances, but premeditated torture and murder is just...inexcusable. The same thing happened to these kids: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonesboro_Massacre

Both walking around free, and hey, one's already been caught with a firearm. No. If you are grown up enough to deliberately take a life, then you're grown up enough to go to jail with the big boys.

[elsporko]

At ten the brain still still very undeveloped especially the part that thinks about consequences and the part that affects moral reasoning. Rehabilitation for a criminal that young is a far better choice then locking them up for 70 some years. Its a complete waste of a life to lock somebody up that young especially since their violent tendencies are probably related to being abused themselves.

[Rapscallion]

Venables must have violated part of his parole conditions. Even setting one toe wrong will have resulted in his rapid removal back to jail. The authorities will be keeping a very close eye on him.

Thing to remember is that these conditions could be anything, and we're not told what they are. He could have killed someone, or driven into an area where he was told not to go (Liverpool for example), or tried to contact his or the Bulger family. We don't know the severity of his offence, but I do know that the authorities would react harshly to any transgression.

Rapscallion

[Lace Neil Singer]

They aren't saying what he did so we can't really judge what should be done. I will say I don't think somebody should spend life in jail for something they did when they were ten.

Wow. I agree with you. O_o

There was the same uproar when Mary Bell was released in 1980, with a new name. Mary Bell was sexually abused as a child, and her mother had tried to kill her. This doesn't excuse her actions, but certainly explains them. However, she served twelve years which, incidentally, is more than some adult murderers serve.

Should child killers be kept in prison for the rest of their lives? Jesse Pomeroy was. He was incarcerated at the age of sixteen, and died in prison aged seventy two.

[crashhelmet]

At ten the brain still still very undeveloped especially the part that thinks about consequences and the part that affects moral reasoning.

This, I am going to disagree with. In fact, it's a bullshit defense of kids that gets brought up way too much.

Things like right and wrong, moral reasoning, truth and lies, action and reaction, and cause and effect are all learned at an early age. It all comes from education and discipline.

Want to label them psych/sociopathic? Sure, I'll buy that. Excuse their psycho/sociopathic tendencies because of their age? Hell no.

Rehabilitation for a criminal that young is a far better choice then locking them up for 70 some years. Its a complete waste of a life to lock somebody up that young especially since their violent tendencies are probably related to being abused themselves.

This, I will agree with, however you are somewhat contradicting your initial argument with your last statement.

I wish I could find data to support this, but the mental state of a teen while incarcerated is far different than that of an adult. With the proper counseling, rehabilitation is easier they younger they are. Some say it's because education is a requirement, not an option. Some say it's the fear factor. the truth is, the younger they are, the less "hardened" they generally are.

CH

[elsporko]

This, I am going to disagree with. In fact, it's a bullshit defense of kids that gets brought up way too much.

Things like right and wrong, moral reasoning, truth and lies, action and reaction, and cause and effect are all learned at an early age. It all comes from education and discipline.

Want to label them psych/sociopathic? Sure, I'll buy that. Excuse their psycho/sociopathic tendencies because of their age? Hell no.

Until late in the brain's development the ideas of right and wrong depend more on whether or not the person will get in trouble for their actions, not if the actions are right or wrong. Children at that age will do things they know is wrong if they think it is right. This is Operant Conditioning.

[Plaidman]

I remember reading this story. They both planned it. They even tried to kidnap one before they did that other one, but got caught.

I also read about their prison treatment. Movies, TV, video games. It was just a big fun game for them given special treatment because of their age. They never truely got punished.

And the child they killed. They tortured him for hours before finally letting him die by train. Even then, they thought it was hilarious.

[smileyeagle1021]

Personal opinion, someone who can torture and kill someone for fun... it doesn't matter how old they are when they do it... their life already has been wasted... it was wasted from the moment sperm met egg. Some people are just born bad, best thing to do is to keep them as far away from society as possible. As much as I am a fan of everyone deserves a second chance, in this case, their victim wasn't even given a first chance, that pretty much removes their right to ever ask for a second chance.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I have to agree with Smiley on this one. There's such a thing as too far gone to save and this, is it.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Update: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle7052607.ece

In case anyone doesn't know, there were sexual elements to the James Bulger killing.

[Nyoibo]

So I can't find the link now but I read an article that he's back in jail for something to do with a brawling at work and cocain use.

[fireheart17]

Update: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle7052607.ece

In case anyone doesn't know, there were sexual elements to the James Bulger killing.

If you're referring to the part where batteries were supposedly pushed into certain orifices, the jury's out on that one AFAIK since there are about ten different things I hear that say yes or no.