Recalling the Murder of James Bulger

in #psychology6 years ago (edited)

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Who would believe that these two ten year old kids killed a two year old child? | Screen capture from Real Stories documentary on James Bulger on youtube.com

I was more on to watching different documentaries for the past few weeks and I learned a lot. One of those that hunt me though is the death of a two year old toddler named James Bulger from England. It was on February 1993 ( I was not born on that date yet), he was taken by two ten years old. These boys are named Robert Thompson and John Venables.

The toddler was first told to get down on his knees hoping he would get drown on a nearby lake or river (not sure which of the two that really was), but the former didn't.

Image from pixabay.com

It is appalling that more than thirty people had seen these two young boys dragging James who at that time was having blood on his head from being hit with bricks but these adults seemed not to bother at all.

The death of the toddler then happened when he was put to the tracks on a railroad. It was said though that the contusions and lacerations caused the toddler's death.

You might ask how come these kids were able to do something unimaginable. Well, to begin with they both came from problematic families. One of them, before the incident even tried to choke his classmate at their class using a ruler.

It must have been their surroundings that led them to do such horrible act, but for the people who mourned for James' death it never mattered. They want the kids to be punished.

A month after the murder, the prosecution's main goal was not to prove whether or not the kids murdered then toddler but rather if they know that what they did was wrong or right.

They were then sent to a secure place to be rehabilitated. Funny it may seem, but England do not put children below 15 years old to prison. The rationale behind is that these children needed to be rehabilitated properly (psychologists and psychiatrists working hand in hand to change the unwated behavior of thede children) so that the moment they go back to the society they would be operating as normal people.

On this instance, you could see how one's family background and experiences affects a person's will to do something good or bad. But it does not mean that the law would let it pass. Just to recall one principle, dura lex sed lex or "the law is harsh but that is the law" in english.

Rational Thinking

Role of Social Media

Image from pixabay.com

Applying it on the Philippine setting, it would be different, the socialmedia for one is a game changer particularly the social media influencers. These groups and certain individuals has whistle-blowed a lot of issues and aside from that they usually upon observation. Fake news are also prevailing in mainstream social media sites/ applications.

Now, I have a question for you. If such thing would happen to someone you know, how would you respond to it? Would you allow the legal system to decide? Or would you fight for it until such "justice" (base on its operative definition) be achieved?

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There are a lot of factors that we could also consider if such case would occur in the country such is if a crime is committed by someone from an affluent family. The case may or may not even be put to trial. Such an unfair situation for the family that lose their child.

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