The government is exploring chemical castration as a way to curb sexual offending, with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood pushing for it to become mandatory for some offenders. Do you think such drastic action is the answer?
The government is looking to crackdown on paedophiles and rapists by having them to undergo chemical castration. The idea is to make sex offenders take hormone treatments to drastically lower their sex drive in hopes of stopping them from ever reoffending.
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is exploring whether such drastic action can be made mandatory as she takes steps to roll out the drug treatment nationwide. As a first step, a voluntary scheme will see sex offenders chemically castrated in two regions in England, covering 20 prisons. But do you think such perpetrators should be castrated?
A report out today, led by former Justice Secretary David Gauke, says we need more data first, and asked for a small pilot, which involves a few dozen inmates in the South West of England, to be continued.
Insiders said Ms Mahmood wants to go further in rolling out the approach. A Government source told The Mirror: “For too long, we have turned a blind eye to the threat sex offenders pose, considering the solutions too difficult or unpalatable. Shabana isn’t squeamish about doing what it takes to protect the public. As always, she will grab this problem by the proverbials.” Do you think sex offenders should be castrated? Take our poll below. If you can’t see it, click here
Chemical castration involves two main drugs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to help control unwanted sexual thoughts, and anti-androgens to lower testosterone and reduce libido. Offenders are also typically given therapy sessions to help manage their compulsive sexual thoughts.
This method is aimed at those who struggle with obsessive, intrusive sexual thoughts or have an excessive focus on sex. Research shows it can be pretty effective in cutting down the chances of reoffending among sexual offenders.
One study followed ten offenders, none of whom reoffended after treatment. Another study paired one group of sex offenders who had been chemically castrated, with another who had not. Reoffending rates were 60% lower among the group who had been chemically castrated.
Ms Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, is understood to want to follow countries around the world who are using castration to manage sex offenders. They include Germany, France, Sweden and Denmark. In most countries, it is voluntary, though it is mandatory in a few countries and some US states.
In his more than 200-page sentencing review, Mr Gauke laid out the urgent need for change, not only to stop prisons reaching full capacity again, but to reduce crime and the number of victims affected. His proposals – if accepted by ministers – would see the projected prison population for 2028 come down by 9,800 inmates. It currently stands at more than 88,000.
Among the most significant recommendations, the review recommends letting out some offenders early for good behaviour and scrapping the use of sentences under 12 months, bar exceptional cases such as when a domestic abuse victim needs protection.
It also urges for greater use of technology, like electronic tagging, to monitor offenders in the community and action to support criminals whose offending is driven by drugs, alcohol or mental illness. And judges should hand out more punishments outside of jail, it said, such as football, travel or driving bans. Restrictions on an offenders’ access to social media should also be considered.
So what do YOU think? Should sex offenders should be castrated? Take our poll above and expand on your feelings in the comments below.
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