Most people know that convicted sex offenders face lasting consequences. Time behind bars and sex offender registration are widely discussed among those who have been charged with sex offenses, as well as the public in general. However, many do not realize that sex offenders may face surgical castration, as well.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed the Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill into law in 2008. This law allows for the administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate or voluntary physical castration to convicted sex offenders.
If a sex offender undergoes castration, the process is relatively simple. A surgeon explained that the patient is put to sleep under general anesthesia for approximately 10 minutes while a small incision is made and the process is completed. While the physical process is fairly straightforward, the mental component can be understandably more challenging.
A 78-year-old West Baton Rouge man who pleaded guilty to child molestation opted to undergo surgical castration as part of a plea bargain, which included 27 years in prison. Under the terms of the agreement, he said he would undergo voluntary castration at his own expense, and he would not be eligible for parole until the operation was performed.
Although the man pledged to have the surgery within six months of his sentencing, the procedure was delayed due to medical issues. This past Friday, he underwent the physical removal of his testicles at LSU Earl K. Long Medical Center. He will be released from custody in the near future and will have to register as a sex offender.
The castration law has sparked much conversation. How do you feel about the law? Does it provide a reasonable penalty?
Source: Digital Journal, “Pedophile undergoes surgical castration to gain prison release,” Kim I. Hartman, 5 March 2011
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