Episode 25 - Silje Redergård and James Bulger: How Norway and Britain Handle Children Who Kill

Today’s episode explores the death of Silje Redergård, a five year old Norwegian girl who was killed by her friends in a play fight that escalated into violence. We compare Silje’s case to the British case of James Bulger and discuss the stark differences in the way the British and Norwegian penal system and media dealt with both crimes. 

We discuss the purpose of prison, the concept of rehabilitation and whether children who commit crimes should have their anonymity preserved or whether the public has the right to know who these young offenders are.

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Sources used in this episode:

Book: Comparing Penal Cultures: Child-on-Child Homicide in England and Norway

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8577458.stm

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/somethind-died-with-silje-does-the-killing-of-five-year-old-silje-marie-redergaard-by-her-own-1444162.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/james-bulger-documentary-jon-venables-robert-thompson-murder-child-sex-what-went-wrong-rehabilitate-a8203306.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/803151.stm

https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/mar/20/norway-town-forgave-child-killers

https://www.smh.com.au/world/rights-and-wrongs-a-tale-of-two-killings-20100322-qr8e.html

Unforgiven: The Boys Who Killed A Child (Jamie Bulger Documentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrkQe4tyJnQ

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Silje_Rederg%C3%A5rd

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_James_Bulger