James Bulger’s mother: Unmask my son's killers

[doodab]

Everyone is high on opinions but offers no solutions.

There is no satisfactory answer. You can't resurrect a dead child, or mend the lives of his family, or the lives of the perpetrators for that matter.

[Churchill]

My thesis is that children are fixable but 'pitch fork them' and 'it is not the parent's fault' are just 2 extremes. We tried to do the middle ground and that failed.

So what is the answer?

Do we give halfwits like churchill pitch forks? Do we bring back hanging? Do we give up the judicial system we covet? Do we rehabilitate? do we incarcerate?

Everyone is high on opinions but offers no solutions.

You were the one who mentioned the pitch-fork.

Capital punishment would have set a precedent and maybe sent out a signal to others that their no-holds barred behaviour will no-longer be tolerated.

Now, down to your personal hatred of me. Get over it.

[minestrone]

You were the one who mentioned the pitch-fork.

Capital punishment would have set a precedent and maybe sent out a signal to others that there no-holds barred behaviour will no-longer be tolerated.

Now, down to your personal hatred of me. Get over it.

What would you have done with them? Hang them? Would you hang a ten year old child?

[doodab]

Capital punishment would have set a precedent and maybe sent out a signal to others that there no-holds barred behaviour will no-longer be tolerated.

Perhaps, but it's difficult to claim the moral high ground after executing two children. I wouldn't want it done in my name. Although I might feel differently if it were my child, I think it is societies duty to restrain the wronged as well as the wrongdoer.

What these kids needed was to learn that bad behaviour would not be tolerated well before it got to this point. For that you have to look to parents and the wider environment.

I do think there is an argument for prosecuting / rehabilitating / educating the parents of problem children. It's difficult to see how else to break the cycle of neglect.

[Churchill]

What would you have done with them? Hang them? Would you hang a ten year old child?

Nope, I'd have waited until they were 18.

[OwlHoot]

What would you have done with them? Hang them? Would you hang a ten year old child?

If they're doli incapax, which by any reckoning the killers were at the time, then it's down to the parents or guardians.

I'd certainly have jailed their parents for several years, to deter others from neglecting their children.

[cailin maith]

Clearly this is a very emotive issue.

Not helped when personal snidey attacks are a constant.

Not sure capital punishment is the answer myself but it doesn't mean that my opinion is any more valid than any other posters.

[d000hg]

There is a grey area in rehabilitation and you have made the decision that a child who commits murder is 'fixable' without ever being in contact with a child murderer.

No I'm saying murder isn't the issue, I'm saying 10 is young enough that the mind can still be reshaped.

[d000hg]

I'd certainly have jailed their parents for several years, to deter others from neglecting their children.

Really? Without actually investigating to check it was their fault? Simple neglect is very different from somehow conditioning kids to be killers... and then what if the parents were damaged as children by their parents, will you arrest them also?

Not sure capital punishment is the answer myself but it doesn't mean that my opinion is any more valid than any other posters.

I don't think there is a right answer. Nothing will bring the victim back, and any way to keep the attackers from being a risk, risks them being further hardened from being stuck in some kind of prison.

[cojak]

Anyone remember this thread?

http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...in-thread.html

Calling each other halfwits and morons isn't conducive to serious debate generally.