The story of  Jon Venables is upsetting on so many levels. Indeed, I cant even read most of the stories from sadness. But I have an opinion and I struggle to contain an opinion (sorry!)

Jon Venables did a terrible terrible thing. He did that terrible thing when he was a child. We can argue about his background and upbringing but from that point he became public property of sorts. And what did we do? We locked him up with his notoriety. Any child is a product of their upbringing. And his upbringing started, finished and ended around killing a child. Any intelligent person could predict a sexual interest in children. Did the system address that? Is the system designed for children? Is the system designed for fame? 

Maybe ‘the system’ decided it wasnt designed for this particular man (as he was when he was released) so set him out to the world. Or maybe the system decided he was rehabilitated. Did the system protect him? One must assume the system has a certain worth as ‘the other killer’ is not always in the news and is finding a new life. So setting him free, however abhorrent to some, has a certain worth. 

Yet there he is, in the news, offending again. 

Us, normal, decent folk can see this is clearly more than just a childhood mistake. Surely any normal, decent person would decide it ‘in the best interest of society’ that Jon Venables should be considered psychologically unwell and unfit for normal society. He should be given a life, as any human being deserves, but it should be a protected, safe, life. Safe from himself. Safe from his own unnatural thoughts (because unless I’m living in a different world, paedophillia is considered unnatural). Safe from those who would wish him harm. Safe, in the protected custody of the state. Surely any normal, decent person wants that for our children, if not for him. 

Yet the system decided it best to release him back into the world again. 

What did the system expect? 

I can only presume Jon Venables tried to avoid hurting children so kept his desires online where the hurt isnt real (no one who says something online that they wouldnt say face to face can deny this). So, I could argue he is still a law abiding citizen, just with unnatural desires that he had a sexual right to explore (apparently we live in a era when any sex is fine despite disease and unwanted pregnancies because they can be ‘dealt with’). 

Yet any normal, decent person knows this to be untrue. Online abuse is just the same as real abuse. Online abuse is starting to have the laws to protect victims even if they weren’t physically attacked. Normal, decent people know any and all sex isnt fine and has consequences that have to be considered. 

So the system found a reason to pick him up again. Maybe they were watching and waiting. Maybe some normal, decent people in the system try hard everyday to work the system to protect us? Id like to think that because out of this there surely has to be some good guys (or girls) otherwise we’re all doomed. 

But the system? The system is clearly broken. 

Justice and punishment, I agree with. 

Justice and rehabilitation, I agree with. 

Justice and human rights. I agree with. 

But justice then systematic release of a psychologically damaged person? 

That makes sense to nobody. That man and all the other men and women like him (because make no mistake: his case is only ‘news’ because of his history, his subsequent crimes are in no way unique) makes sense to nobody.  

The system is broken. 


Let normal, decent people decide. 

Normal, decent people would give him (and those like him) a life. He is a human being who deserves a life. He can be a benefit to society. Let him find worth telling his tale and helping others. Let him find worth helping to support prisons: cleaning, cooking, supporting. Let him earn money making license plates (as they do in USA). He has worth. He can find a life. But it shouldnt be outside of 4 protected walls. 

Anything else the system decides only kills human civilisation and any decency left in normal people. 

And that is the saddest part of this story.