Pedophiles and rapists in the United Kingdom could be chemically castrated under new government plans.
Convicted offenders serving jail time could be given drugs to dull their libido and ultimately tackle re-offending rates and reduce the prison population.
Two regions in England will pilot a voluntary chemical castration scheme for sex offenders in up to 20 prisons as an initial phase of a potential nationwide rollout.
Highlights
- The U.K. plans a pilot chemical castration scheme for sex offenders in up to 20 prisons to reduce re-offending and prison populations.
- Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is reportedly considering making chemical castration mandatory.
- Chemical castration lowers testosterone to reduce libido and aggression and is often paired with psychiatric treatment for offenders.
U.K. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood reportedly wants to make chemical castration mandatory
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Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is reportedly assessing whether the scheme could be made mandatory.
A newly released sentencing review, headed by former Justice Secretary David Gauke, is urging expanded research into the use of chemical castration, The Mirror reports.
The report backs a small pilot scheme involving up to three dozen prisoners in the South West of England.
But Mahmood reportedly wants to take further action, with the small scheme being deemed too soft.
“For too long, we have turned a blind eye to the threat sex offenders pose, considering the solutions too difficult or unpalatable,” a U.K. government source told The Mirror.
“Shabana isn’t squeamish about doing what it takes to protect the public. As always, she will grab this problem by the proverbials.”
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Former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor said he was appalled at the government’s plans.
“I am appalled & dismayed that the government is toying with chemical castration for sexual offenders – a policy as irreversible as it is medieval,” he wrote on X.
A recent survey released by Find Out Now in February found that the majority of voters under the age of 30 in the U.K. believed sex offenders should be chemically castrated.
It recorded 67% of voters as being in favor of chemical castration, with just 24% opposing.
Chemical castration is a medical intervention that uses two hormone-suppressing drugs to significantly reduce a person’s sex drive and sexual impulses.
The treatment works by decreasing testosterone levels, which are closely linked to libido and, in some cases, aggressive sexual behavior.
Offenders also receive psychiatric treatment.
There are concerns regarding the long-term effectiveness of the proposed treatment
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Studies have found that re-offending rates in those who have been chemically castrated are significantly lower.
However, there are concerns regarding the long-term effectiveness of the treatment.
Several states in the U.S. have mandatory chemical castration for certain sex offenders, including California, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas.
In California, repeat sex offenders convicted of crimes against children under 13 have to undergo chemical castration as a condition of parole.
They can decide to be surgically castrated instead.
In Europe, some countries, including Germany, France, Sweden, and Denmark, use chemical castration for sex offenders, though it is mostly optional and specifics vary.
A proposal in Cyprus also suggests offering convicted child rapists the choice between serving life in prison without parole or undergoing chemical castration as a condition for parole eligibility.
This measure aims to strengthen child protection and serve as a deterrent, but has faced criticism over its effectiveness and ethical concerns, including the potential for human rights violations and irreversible side effects.
The proposal is still under debate in the Cypriot parliament.