So much for rehabilitation

It was completely wrong that they were tried as adults in an adult court.

What a conundrum: damaged children killing a child. It is of course horrific.

Venables does, I think, at the present moment represent a danger to children, and he needs a secure unit with therapeutic input. He is now an adult and responsible for his actions; but never had the chance to be a child. Such a damaged human being.

I do not know what the answer is - they are all victims.

Despite the fact he is a danger still, he is still damaged by his upbringing.

It was reported that as well as images he had a book in his possession which detailed how to have sex with children and not get caught.

He is clearly a danger to children still.

I suppose it doesn't matter why they may have been driven to do what they did, whether it was through bad home lives. The fact remains that Venables, at least, is a danger to others.

Whilst I agree they were just two little boys, so was little James. They were of an age where they would know that hurting a small child was wrong. Let's remember little James died in pain and alone - I will keep my compassion for him and his family. It should also be remembered that as far as we are aware Thompson has not reoffended since his release.

Sadly Nelliemoser they are not alone in being raised in dysfunctional circumstances but not all children unfortunate to have had the same bad experiences, become killers.

You say their lack of education questioned their ability to plead, but it didn't prevent them from placing that poor child's body on a rail track in the hope that if he were run over by a train, the true cause of his death wouldn't be known.

I agree that they should have been placed in specialised secure care and IMO they should still be there today.

I'm torn between thinking that children need a chance to grow up and be rehabilitated, and utter disgust at what they did to that little tot.
I can hardly bear to watch Jamie's mum on tv. Even now, the pain is etched onto her poor face.

Read This first
www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/nov/01/bulger.familyandrelationships

Both those boys had such a bad upbringing they did not stand a chance from the beginning. They were also victims of really awful neglect and poor and abusive parenting.

They should have never been put through the justice system in the first place given their backgrounds.
Very little education they were probably really unable to plead at all. They were seriously damaged children at early age and should have been in specialised secure care not the regimes of youth offending institutions . They were certainly incredibly harsh and probably still are.

Their offences were dreadful but that was not really down to those two "lost boys."

Absolutely agree with your post,Smiless, Life should mean life for such crimes.
Perhaps it’s time for another review of our judicial system