GOP lawmaker pushes for chemical castration for sex offenders
GOP lawmaker pushes for chemical castration for sex offenders
February 3, 2018
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An Republican lawmaker for Oklahoma is pushing for the state to allow chemical castration as an option for certain sex offenders. State Rep. Rick West recently filed House Bill 2543, which allows the procedure.
Under the bill, as a condition of release for certain violent, sexual offense convictions, male offenders could be required to take drugs designed to reduce testosterone and sexual libido. After a second offense, they would be required to take the treatment, unless a court intervened.
Although the bill is likely to face strong opposition even in a conservative state with a tough-on-crime reputation, West intends to fight for it. He says he introduced the legislation at the request of a constituent: “When I knocked on that guy’s door when I was campaigning, he said: ‘I’ll vote for you if you’ll run this bill.'”
If the bill passes, Oklahoma will join seven other states that have similar laws. Experts explain, however, that even in states that have the law, the punishment is rarely used. According to WJLA, one expert described it as a “half fantasy” version of criminal justice.
West said he’s confident his constituents support efforts to prevent sex crimes, especially against children.
California was the first state to pass a similar law for chemical castration. After they passed it in 1996, and at least six other states followed suit with their versions of the law, including Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon and Wisconsin, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Texas allows repeat sex offenders to voluntarily elect to be surgically castrated.
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