To protect the young children, men, and women of the next generation, it is recommended sex offenders involuntarily undergo chemical castration which will influence nonviolent society. This effect has the tendency of a non-threatening environment with its extended treatment on sex hormones to reduce the levels of testosterone, desires, and unwanted fantasies. Depending on the offender’s mental stability, they will be released from prison after this method.
As members of our community, one should ask, “Is chemical castration an appropriate punishment for sex offenders? The death penalty is unconstitutional and is prison enough? By defining the necessity to understand the matter of chemical castration results on communities and single human beings, by refuting those who claim the process does not prevent molestation, by presenting reports, case studies, and documented research explaining the results, one will be persuaded to accept castration as the suitable penalty for sex offenders. 2 sentences after. Realize that after the treatment is followed through, the offender is allowed back into society.
As frightening and alarming it seems, the individual will either be on parole or probation. However, it has been proven that chemical castration has been more effective in reducing repeated offenses. Depo-Provera is the most common drug used to reduce the sex drive of male offenders. The drug’s original purpose is as a birth control, but because of injection of the hormone steroid to prevent pregnancy into the male body it lowers the urges, fantasies, and testosterone levels. “Depo Provera is meant to quell the sex drive of male sex offenders by lowering their testosterone levels.
The drug does not render any permanent physical change to the body. The treatment is believed to be most effective on sex offenders who possess uncontrollable biological urges that take the form of sexual fantasies…” (Reuters, Thomson. “Chemical and Surgical Castration. ” Findlaw . Findlaw, 9 Dec. Web. 8 Dec. 2015. ) Dr. Fred S. Berlin argues chemical castration as a “safeguard” with the check ups with the psychiatrist the offender must take for the medication. If the person does not follow through with their check up, they can be immediately arrested and sent back to jail.
In some cases, when the procedure is too much for the patient they are able to quit because the effects are reversible. Another option is surgical castration. Surgical castration is the removal of the use of the man’s testes. It has the same intentions of preventing sexual tendencies but has its downfalls. “Surgical castration reportedly produces definitive results, even in repeat pedophilic offenders, by reducing recidivism rates to 2% to 5% compared with expected rates of 50%. ” (Lee, Joo Yong, and Kang Su Cho. ‘Chemical Castration For Sexual Offenders: Physicians’ Views’. Journal of Korean Medical Science 28. 2 (2013): 171. Web. 4 Dec. 2015)
Not only can it be short in results, it seems like the revengeful way to inflict pain on a person who cannot control their desires. Some countries force sex offenders to take surgical castration. This course of action is already used as an option in nine U. S. states and is mandatory in four European countries and South Korea. Even though this procedure has shown its successful results, it is considered that chemical castration does not have human rights “Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the charge that chemical castration violates sex offenders’ constitutional rights.
The ACLU contends that chemical castration violates an offender’s implied right to privacy under the Fourteenth Amendment, rights of due process and equal protection, and the Eighth Amendment’s ban of cruel and unusual punishment. ” (Reuters, Thomson. “Chemical and Surgical Castration. ” Findlaw. Findlaw, n. d. Web. 4 Dec. 2015). It has been noted that the American Civil Liberties Union states that chemical castration violates many constitutional rights, however despite this ban on the procedure Texas has given the option to sex offenders to take the chemical or surgical castration to reduce their sentence.
Texas permits surgical castration of offenders. By May 2005, three men had undergone the voluntary procedure. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age, have had at least two sex offense convictions, and have undergone at least 18 months of sex offender treatment, including Depo-Provera injections, to understand how their bodies might react with less testosterone. ” (Reuters, Thomson. “Chemical and Surgical Castration. ” Findlaw.
Findlaw, n. d. Web. 4 Dec. 2015. ) Chemical castration is the appropriate punishment for sex offenders, whether it is voluntarily or involuntarily. in order for the United States to become a safer environment, this needs to be enforced. A number of sex offenders leaving jail without castration are excessive and “About 47% of the former prisoners were convicted of a new crime and 41 percent were sent back to prison or jail. ”
