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Comment by darkerside | Hacker News Reader

You couldn't have picked a worse case for trying juveniles as adults. I think any country that wouldn't try these animals as adults couldn't be called civilized. Torturing and mutilating a 2 year old at the age of 10 is not recoverable human behavior.

And of course...

> Venables was sent to prison in 2010 for breaching the terms of his licence, was released on parole again in 2013, and in November 2017 was again sent to prison for possessing child sexual abuse images on his computer.

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I beg to differ. As revolting as their actions were, it is hard to consider 10 year olds as adults and treat them as such in the eyes of the law. The recidivism you raise could actually support my argument rather than strengthen yours. Had they been treated differently (I.e. more as children) perhaps they might have been rehabilitated and ended up more “normal”.

Don’t misunderstand my position. What they did was vile beyond comprehension, but were 10 year olds fully responsible for their own behaviour at this age?

It's not really relevant whether they're fully responsible. Is a dog responsible when it bites a person? No, but it's unfit for civilization, and must be put down.

Starship Troopers?

while I agree that all dogs should be put down, the issue is much more complex than this. What even is civilization? there are plenty of civilizations where killing the weak is praised and encouraged.

For doing what they did to a fucking 2 year old? Yes. A crime against an adult might be more excusable, but this is evil beyond redemption.

> You couldn't have picked a worse case for trying juveniles as adults. I think any country that wouldn't try these animals as adults couldn't be called civilized. Torturing and mutilating a 2 year old at the age of 10 is not recoverable human behavior.

That does not mean you have to try them as adults. You have to try them as 10 years old who have done that. Factually, they are not adults.

Why is it not recoverable? I'm no psychologist but I'd expect almost any behaviour you express at 10 years old is correctable.

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