>
> 1). Re: kill, kill, kill. They will have to live with what they've done for the rest of their lives.

1a) I don't know about you, but I would not puport to know anything at all about what goes on in the mind of someone who tortures and kills someone like in this case. But I cannot help but ask myself: If you are insane enough to do so, are you not insane enough to keep on living afterwards as if nothing has happened? (Note that I use the word "insane" not in any clinical sense, but to express divergence from 'normality')

> I can assure you that the parole board would probably not have even thought about paroling them except unless they thought that T:V no longer presented any threat to anyone. If they put so much as one toe out of line they'll be straight back where they came from.

1b) As was said in the DP thread (there's an understatement...), there is no legal system in the world capable of monitoring people like this.

>
> 2). What will happen when they get out: they will have new identities and be rehoused. They will NOT be sitting in prison buying crack and sponging off the taxpayer.

This would be my argument for executing them. Except that comparisons may show that it is cheaper to keep them in prison for the rest of their lives.

> 3). To continue: they will never be allowed to leave the country. They will have a banning order imposed on them, keeping them well away from Liverpool.

Yay! People in Liverpool rejoice! What about the rest of us?


> 4). What would happen if they were transferred to an adult prison: unless this prison was EXCEPTIIONALLY model, it'd screw them up badly unless they really, really, really (copy + paste 400 times) have an ability to block out an awful lot. Maybe it's easy to block out the suffering of others, but rather a different kettle of fish when it's inflicted on yourself. Finally, and most importantly, everyone would know who they were. The screws, the cons, everyone. They'd be in probably more danger of revenge attacks than if they were released. Plus they would have nowhere to run.

I don't really care. But if I did, I'd say that this would only be a fitting punishment.

>
> 5). And finally...: Thompson and Venables will be living a very difficult life (did I mention they won't be allowed to knowingly have contact with each other?) when they get out. They will be living a life of constant fear and (probably) remorse. They will be scared from the moment they move into their new houses to the moment they die that someone will find them out and start a hate campaign. (No, I wouldn't mind if they came to live on my street. Probably because I wouldn't know) Second (sorry to recycle an old argument), they will be constantly haunted by their memories of the terrible deed they committed. Think about it. Forty years, with only a consicence and fear for company. I'd far sooner die.
>

Because I have no idea what state of mind 8 years of "secure children's unit" after having comitted murder leaves you in, I would not like to run the risk of having them as neighbours.

>
> Zarn"retreating to bomb-proof bunker to await fallout"iwoop
>
>
> PS: If I missed some things out, put it down to one of two things:
>
> 1). I ain't read the Guardian special report yet. :-P
>

Neither have I, so this excuse goes for me too.


jul"hey, did I miss the war?"ian