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Child Homicide and the Law: Implications of the Judgements of the European Court of Human Rights in the Case of the Children Who Killed James Bulger

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2000

Sula Wolff  and
R. Alexander A. McCall Smith
Sula Wolff
Affiliation:
38 Blacket Place, Edinburgh EH9 1RL
R. Alexander A. McCall Smith
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL
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Abstract

The facts of the Bulger case and its legal consequences, in particular the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), are summarised. A review of the literature on child homicide indicates that this continues to be rare, can neither be predicted nor prevented, and suggests that the future outlook for such offenders may be good. The recommendations of a committee set up by Justice (1996) for changes in legislation and procedures concerning children who have killed, are congruent with the European Court's judgements, but still woefully at odds with public attitudes.

Keywords

Child homicideBulger caseEuropean Court
Type
Points of Law
Information
Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , September 2000 , pp. 133 - 138
Copyright
© 2000 Association for Child Psychology and Psychiatry

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