A story I've read recently sickened me, a group of boys attempted to hang a seven year old boy called Bradley in Portsmouth; although this is shocking enough, whats even more shocking is that the boys who attempted to hang him were SEVEN YEARS OLD. Seven?!? In a move common of the Bulger killers, the three boys tempted the young lad down to Branbury Park telling him that they were going to play a game. On arrival they told the Bradley to wait outside a "den" before they tied him up.
Luckily the boy survived, however the offenders are too young to be prosecuted so will get off with a stern warning. Is it just me or does this sound like the future killers starting early?
I would like to say that this is a rare thing, but nowadays this is seen everywhere. The most infamous being Jamie Bulger; this was a disturbing display of remorseless killing; yet the two boys are out living a life that we pay for (including new faces, lives and houses). If the killers were older, they would be away for life yet they get away for being children? How does this make it any better?
The most graphic I have heard is the killing of Tiffany Eunick, she was only six when she was murdered by a 12 year old boy in his home whilst supposedly "practicing" wrestling moves. However the coroner found evidence to suggest events that were much more sinister.
It is things like this that worry me, what sort of children are being raised here? Are games, films, parents, upbringing and other variables creating the next Charles Manson, Ted Bundy or Berkowitz? We need to act now, sure I understand that placing a child of seven in prison with other adult offenders is unthinkable but they need to serve some form of punishment or they are going to grow up believing that this behaviour is OK! We need to be stern now to save the future!!
What makes these children killers though? Its the classic argument of nature and nurture...
Personally, I believe its the nature of the person! Two children can grow up with exactly the same upbringing yet one becomes a killer and the other one doesn't! What stops them both becoming killers? What stopped Fred and Rose Wests children from killing? They were brought up being constantly raped by their parents and listening to the screams of victims, so what made them decide NOT to follow in their parents footsteps?
I agree with you in that it doesn't make it any better being a child when compared to an adult. However it is known that a child develops an advanced choice of right and wrong roughly at the age of 10. Is this an excuse? I personally don't think so, but some could argue it is.
ReplyDeleteI believe its both nature and nurture. What you are born into isnt exactly what you are going to become (e.g. a kills chil is a killr automatically), but I think it doesn't help. With your example of Fred/Rose Wests children, them being treated that way as a child made them realise it was wrong, so they didn't do it. Whereas another child may think it is acceptable - hence the nurture part. I think they both affect and overlap woth each other, based on experiences in thier lives.
Good read, and good blog. Put your opinion across well, well done.