This is the type of article which proves press poison, propaganda and use of PR. Melanie Reid, Times Online has used the Jon Venables incident to say people should consider he may have had a terrible childhood. There are plenty of people who had a terrible childhood and chose not to pass that pain on to others. Publishing excuses for extremely bad behaviour and choices in the name of political correctness, bites me.
I've commented on the article online, but it could be a good feature, those who were abused etc as children, but have turned their lives around or made something of themselves and focused that pain and hurt into positive action rather than crime.
Detaching from the public emotion around this, and let's face it there's plenty, the crime happened in 1993 and still provokes extreme anger from the public. Again, detaching from the emotion the reason why this story is newsworthy is because Jon Venables is perceived as a threat to the public. IE bad news sells, because of our natural instinct to focus on anything or one who is a potential threat to our own survival. As the justice system will not release details of Jon Venables new identity or how he has reoffended there is fear in the mystery. The govt/justice system would do themselves a favour if they released the details of the offence and take some of the heat out of the situation, but lots of agendas and the reality is it's useful to the press.
Political correctness - good intentions gone mad. By giving Jon Venables an excuse for his actions (his poor childhood), we stop him from growing. Taking responsibility for our own actions whatever age we are brings maturity and growth as a person. PCorrectness DOESN'T work - after the best care and interventions - he's STILL reoffended.
Julia O'Shaughnessy Even now the political correctness is calling out to stop Jon Venables from taking responsibility for his OWN actions.
We were told Jon Venables had the BEST of interventions, rehabilitation and opportunities within the system to change. The reality is he has CHOSEN NOT to change. The Justice system has protected Jon &...
www.timesonline.co.uk
Even as the infamous name of Jon Venables flashed on the screens, you could feel the moral panic start. Seventeen years may have passed since the Bulger killing, but we still haven’t separated logic from emotion in our response to it.
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