Every Mother's Nightmare - The Murder of James Bulger

On Friday, February 12th, 1993 two year old James Bulger disappeared from a crowded shopping mall in Bootle, England. What followed was the most heinous of crimes committed by two 10 year old boys whose actions shocked the entire world with their brutality. Mark Thomas, a reporter for Britain's Press Association, followed the story up to the sentencing and punishment of the young criminals. This book, whilst not going into graphic detail of the crime, attempts to analyse not only the reasoning behind this crime but also the degeneration of youth and what future generations may NOT look forward to in terms of public safety. While Ralph and Denise Bulger still work through the grief of losing their son, society has to wonder if this type of juvenile recklessness might become a growing trend. 'Every Mother's Nightmare' touches on the reasons for this - broken homes, lack of parental discipline, lack of positive role models, lack of moral fiber in both homes and schools, and of course, a severe lack of positive education. Still, the question remains, did these two pre-pubescents do what they did out of some inability to distinguish right from wrong or were they really just products of their environment? Despite being tried in Bootle's South Sefton Magistrate's Court and showing no remorse for their actions, other than distress over their capture, did they ever understand the ramifications of their actions or how this crime affected everyone involved? The reader discovers that not only were they not concerned about future consequences but that their actions were carefully pre-meditated and that, when questioned, neither was willing to admit guilt but rather place the blame upon the other. The reader also has to make their own judgements in this case as Thomas, true to journalistic integrity, maintains straight facts without taking sides - something to be commended when writing about such a despicable crime. As previously mentioned, this book does not go into the gruesome details of the death of little James Bulger but is still shocking enough to move even the most ardent fan of true crime (such as myself). But don't read it for shock value - read it as a stunning expose of the collapse of morality and the loss of innocence.