Fear of increasingly harsh sex offender penalties has some California criminals opting for extreme measures-including castration-to demonstrate their readiness to adhere to societal norms.
According to the Los Angeles Times, in California alone, no fewer than 15 repeat sex offenders have chosen surgical castration over indefinite incarceration. This choice has allowed two offenders, one of them a pedophile, to leave state mental hospitals freely over the past three years after their procedures.
California, as well as a few other states, requires offenders to undergo chemical or surgical castration before being released. While some judges believe castration works to prohibit repeat offenses, and thereby reduce sentences for sex offenders, the humanity, and the effectiveness of castration have been called into question.
The least invasive form of castration can involve the administration of anti-depressants to suppress offender’s sexual appetites. On the other end of the spectrum is surgical castration, which entails the removal of the testes, where 95 percent of testosterone is produced.
Some groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union have lobbied against the procedure, calling it “cruel and unusual punishment.” Other groups, including the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers point out that some degree of sexual functioning is preserved in a significant number of castrated offenders- making the procedure, not only monstrous, but also ineffective against recidivism in many cases.
At the Law Office of Nabiel C. Ahmed, our Oakland sex crime lawyer believe that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Let us stand up for your rights! Call now for counsel.