This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/05/jon-venables-criminality-attitudes-james-bulger

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Jon Venables: how attitudes towards criminality have changed and hardened Jon Venables: how attitudes towards criminality have changed and hardened
(3 months later)
On the matter of Jon Venables' release from prison, there isn't much to discuss – he served his sentence for the murder of the toddler James Bulger, and he has now cleared the parole board hearing for release from his second, two-year sentence, for accessing and distributing child pornography. Whatever you think of child pornography, the sentence for it can't be indefinite. The distress of the Bulger parents is understandable, but Ralph Bulger's proposition – that it is too dangerous to let Venables out, in case some other, innocent third party were to be mistaken for him, and harmed or even killed by a vigilante – isn't a sound reason to keep someone jailed indefinitely, either.On the matter of Jon Venables' release from prison, there isn't much to discuss – he served his sentence for the murder of the toddler James Bulger, and he has now cleared the parole board hearing for release from his second, two-year sentence, for accessing and distributing child pornography. Whatever you think of child pornography, the sentence for it can't be indefinite. The distress of the Bulger parents is understandable, but Ralph Bulger's proposition – that it is too dangerous to let Venables out, in case some other, innocent third party were to be mistaken for him, and harmed or even killed by a vigilante – isn't a sound reason to keep someone jailed indefinitely, either.
These are rudimentary points about rehabilitation. Our system of justice, any civilised system of justice, relies on the possibility of redemption, otherwise prisons would be run as concrete coffins. But in the case of Venables and Robert Thompson, you can trace how attitudes towards criminality have changed and hardened.These are rudimentary points about rehabilitation. Our system of justice, any civilised system of justice, relies on the possibility of redemption, otherwise prisons would be run as concrete coffins. But in the case of Venables and Robert Thompson, you can trace how attitudes towards criminality have changed and hardened.
It's been well-documented that Thompson was abused himself as a child. During the 90s, this was raised as a mitigating circumstance, an argument against the existence of evil – he was not born bad, he was turned bad by brutality and could therefore be turned good again by kindness.It's been well-documented that Thompson was abused himself as a child. During the 90s, this was raised as a mitigating circumstance, an argument against the existence of evil – he was not born bad, he was turned bad by brutality and could therefore be turned good again by kindness.
In the intervening years, we've seen a counter-narrative develop – that children who are badly treated between birth and three years old will simply not develop the right musculature for human empathy. It may not be their fault, but they will nevertheless be irredeemable.In the intervening years, we've seen a counter-narrative develop – that children who are badly treated between birth and three years old will simply not develop the right musculature for human empathy. It may not be their fault, but they will nevertheless be irredeemable.
The famous study used in support of this is the scan of the brain of a Romanian orphan – a shrivelled walnut of an organ – set against the healthy, luscious brain of a normal three-year-old. There are numerous problems with this study which I'll go into some other time. For our purposes today, it's important to note the impact this study has had on the debate, heavily pushed by Iain Duncan Smith and the Centre for Social Justice, feeding into everything from early years spending decisions to custody resolution in family law.The famous study used in support of this is the scan of the brain of a Romanian orphan – a shrivelled walnut of an organ – set against the healthy, luscious brain of a normal three-year-old. There are numerous problems with this study which I'll go into some other time. For our purposes today, it's important to note the impact this study has had on the debate, heavily pushed by Iain Duncan Smith and the Centre for Social Justice, feeding into everything from early years spending decisions to custody resolution in family law.
It's slippery terrain, in which words like "vulnerable" and "chaotic" are used interchangeably of families, in which mothers are blamed as much for circumstances they can't control – domestic violence, poor housing, depression – as for those they can – addiction, neglect.It's slippery terrain, in which words like "vulnerable" and "chaotic" are used interchangeably of families, in which mothers are blamed as much for circumstances they can't control – domestic violence, poor housing, depression – as for those they can – addiction, neglect.
The overriding message is that, once a child has been at the sharp end of any constellation of disadvantage, their brains simply don't have the resilience to build into useful, warm, receptive adults. It's an appalling principle from a political point of view, making all kinds of assumptions about poor families, wherein it isn't the poverty that's deemed to lead to the bad outcomes, but some coincidental personal failure of the parent's. But it's also a really problematic foundation for criminal justice; without rehabilitation as your founding principle, you're left with some very dark alternatives.The overriding message is that, once a child has been at the sharp end of any constellation of disadvantage, their brains simply don't have the resilience to build into useful, warm, receptive adults. It's an appalling principle from a political point of view, making all kinds of assumptions about poor families, wherein it isn't the poverty that's deemed to lead to the bad outcomes, but some coincidental personal failure of the parent's. But it's also a really problematic foundation for criminal justice; without rehabilitation as your founding principle, you're left with some very dark alternatives.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.