Violence.

No we haven't become a more violent society. I don't know if it's the right question to ask in any case, as it only leads to a backwards looking debate, i.e. 'it was better then...' The 19th century was a very violent century, as was the 18th, 17th, 16th - wait there! Violence amongst children was very high in the Victorian era due to the abject poverty and lack of state help for children from poverty stricken backgrounds. Crime was high then also. Oddly, children were not convicted as children then, but as adults, and could be sent to prison for hard labour for theft and things. Um, I think human beings have always been violent. Maybe we hear about it in more concentrated pockets of focus now - one things happens and the newpapers look for more of the same. Obviously this particular case is ghastly, but I don't think it highlights that our society is more violent. It is probably less violent than it was. I'd say.

Aye, there's a good book called "At day's Close", by Roger Ekirch which covers crime and lack of artificial light through the ages. But - there has been a world wide rise in juvenile crime!! Not just figures, but the violence of the crimes too. HED KEEQUAI

Jamie Bulger. Terrible as it is these things happen from time to time. To try and use this as some sort of moral judgement of society today is little short of moral panic. Not to belittle the incident, be prepared for 'experts' suggerting the offender/s were watching violent DVD's or playing video games. Sad as it is, every ten yrears or so, children killing children rears it's ugly head, whether it's a classroom bicker, or something like this Bell/Bulger incident. It certainly isn't a mark of today's society. nobody