But there is a bigger agenda here beyond the rare cases of murdered children. Within a month of announcing that he would consult the Bulger family, Lord Woolf expanded his commitment to involve the victims' families in the review of all 140 sentences of juvenile offenders detained indefinitely. This urge to take account of the feelings of those who have suffered, lies behind much new and proposed legislation. If any juror is found to have any interest or knowledge of any of the parties involved in a case, he or she is quite rightly dismissed. The wigs that judges wear depersonalise them, emphasising their role as detached assessors able to deliver unprejudiced opinion.
Impartiality is what a fair trial is all about.
Victims are not voiceless. Measures are already being implemented to make sure they are heard. The statement will be taken into account by the police, crown prosecution service and the court. The introduction of this scheme is to be broadly welcomed. It is clear that within such a system, if well regulated and checked, the Bulger and Payne families, among others, could have an input in the course of a trial.