Children who kill or commit other serious crimes have very often been subject to extreme child abuse.
Im sure I've read previously that people who are sexually interested in children have often been abused as a child themselves.

I have no idea if Venables was abused as a child or not, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to find out he was.

Does that mean he should be released? Of course not. The prison system has clearly failed and he remains a danger to the public.

I know 10 year olds who still believe in Santa, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy, so I think you have to treat children who commit serious crimes very differently to adults, however if a threat to the public remains then this should be the main consideration.