2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

The murders were committed by Jacob Powell who was Emily Harris’s cousin. She was the little girl brutalized and murdered by Boy X, who aged out of juvenile detention and is now in witness protection. Your thoughts about how this boy is free from prison? Are there any better alternatives?

This reminded me a little of the case of the little boy who was murdered by those boys aged around 11 in the UK around 20 years ago. One of the boys was sent to Witness Protection in Australia and I think he was convicted of other crimes later on , he was a seriously deranged young man. But when a young person commits such a heinous crime I guess they should be locked away for the protection of society. But for how long? Are there some people who it doesn't matter how much treatment they have they will always be deranged. Really difficult questions, I don't know the answers.

It is a good way to keep an eye on someone who will murder again. Like the one cop said, they can't protect the public if he is unsupervised.

I don't remember the age of Boy X when he killed Emily Harris. Many times (in the US) the kid would be tried as an adult so their sentence wouldn't end when they turned 18.

They did make a good point in the book that having BoyX in witness protection enabled them to keep an eye on him.

I agree that this was a good way to keep an eye on Boy X, but it still leaves the possibility open that Boy X might find a way to continue murdering people.

Boy X was 13-years old when he killed Emily.

I wish that child murderers like Boy X wouldn’t get an automatic release when they turn 18. I think they should get an adult sentence that can be revisited when they turn 18. When he was released, they knew he was a psychopath and dangerous.

Under current laws, witness protection is the best alternative for law enforcement because they get to monitor him for life. That has to be excruciatingly painful for families.

Lisa, I thought of that same case and can’t believe it’s been 20 years!!!

@Lisa and Jonetta - the victim in that case was Jamie Bulger. It was horrific what they did to that little boy. My heart breaks just thinking about it.

UK law is very different from US law when it comes to minors. Children under age 10 cannot be charged with a crime at all, and teens between 11 and 17 cannot be tried as an adult ever. In addition, they must be released at age 18 and their files sealed.

Regarding this book, Jacob being the killer did not make sense to me. I cannot see how he would inflict the same kind of torture on his victims that his cousin suffered. It takes a completely warped mind to commit the crimes he did, and this is not consistent with his supposed devastation at his cousin's pain and suffering - it doesn't jive.

To me, it would have made more sense if Liam had actually been Boy X and had escaped his handlers.