Does Age excuse Everything?

Well said Chestnut. I still cried at the film not long ago---"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ". Age didn't come into it then !

The programme asked how this could happen, that ordinary young men could do such a thing. One imagines they were terrified, as well as brainwashed

There was a very complex and interesting programme on PBS America called 'Radical Evil' about the Nazi death squads, who gunned down about 2 million Jews. These were young men ordered to shoot large groups of helpless men, women and children, over and over again. The programme asked how this could happen, that ordinary young men could do such a thing. They committed mass murder but were they responsible when you consider the complexity of the offence? They could not refuse the orders, they were brain washed into believing it was the right thing to do, and the human brain learns how to adapt into acceptance of what is required when it has no choice. Very complex issue.

Those war criminals were monsters and should be brought to justice whenever they are caught and whatever their age.

When it comes to crime age shouldn't be a free pass and people should be held to account whatever their age.

When it comes to attitudes and behaviour age is also not an excuse to continue unacceptable behaviour - ie racism, sexism etc. No one is too old to learn if they are still in possession of their faculties.

What Chestnut says.

As we all know on here, you are still the same person even though many things about you will change as you age. If you have committed a serious crime and never been caught or punished then of course you should pay whatever your age. If that means you die in a cell then so be it. You have had a life, and maybe many years of life, that which was denied your victim or victims.
We've seen the Yorkshire Ripper, Hindley, Brady and others die in prison. They were not released because they were old and neither should they be. So a Nazi criminal should also pay for the rest of their life, however short that may be.

I’ve pondered this question since watching the 2 night programme on James Bolger finishing last night and I still haven’t come to conclusion.

I appreciate its at the other end of the age scale but no less relevant surely?