Alabama’s state legislature passed a bill Tuesday that will require convicted child sex offenders to undergo chemical castration prior to their release, raising questions about the legality and ethics of castration.
According to the legislation, known as House Bill 379, a person convicted of a sexual offense involving anyone under the age of 13 will be required, as a condition of parole, “to undergo chemical castration treatment in addition to any other penalty or condition prescribed by law.”
The person will be obligated to pay for the cost of treatment, and a refusal to be castrated would be considered a parole violation, the legislation reads. The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for signature.
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Janice Bellucci, executive director of the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws, which advocates for the civil rights of people convicted of sex crimes and their families, agreed, describing chemical castration as “barbaric and ineffective.”
“It seems to be what some people would call Old Testament justice and you talk about an ‘eye-for-an-eye’ or a ‘tooth-for-a-tooth,’ ” she said. “There are many treatment options that could be effective and you certainly would think the state would spend their resources providing treatment to people who have made such a grievous mistake and who have harmed a child, but chemical castration is not treatment. It’s punishment.”
I would expect nothing less from Alabama, America’s asshole.
“I had people call me in the past when I introduced it and said don’t you think this is inhumane? I asked them what’s more inhumane than when you take a little infant child, and you sexually molest that infant child when the child cannot defend themselves or get away, and they have to go through all the things they have to go through,” Hurst said. “If you want to talk about inhumane — that’s inhumane.”
How about all non-sexual abuses of children and spouses? Was it less inhumane when my stepfather used to beat my 2-year-old brother to the point where the belt would come apart? Or when he nearly killed my mother on my birthday? Is there a bill in the works where such offenders will have their limbs amputated prior to release? You can really smell these politicians gunning for votes with the lowest common denominator.
I am actually sick to my stomach. These people don’t give a damn about anyone. NO ONE. Not even their own children because they are not taking steps to actually help people.
Well the legislature can do what it wants I suppose. But I only know one thing, any doctor crazy enough to prescribe medication like this ought to be put in prison.
In the long run, I doubt this law survives. In the short term, its terrifying to see any governing body in this day and age attempt to create such a law. Does this apply to cases going forward or everyone? Reading the article its seems the posture of the law has changed and it applies to anyone convicted of a crime where the victim was under 13 even non contact. Could you imagine if they decided to enforce this retroactively? What if someone on the registry in another state moves to Alabama with a crime that was committed after the law is implemented.? Imagine having to worry where you are moving because of laws like these.
Chemical castration has many side effects, some known and others unknown. One reported death related to chemical castration was the death of Alan Turing, who is known by many as the inventor of the first modern computer. Because Mr. Turing was gay, he who was required to subject himself to chemical castration in order to subdue his interest in men. Instead, it poisoned him. Society lost a good man and a great intellect when Mr. Turing died at the age of 41. The story of his life is told in the movie “The Imitation Game”.
A kicker on this could be is this is the state that “To Kill a Mockingbird” is based in with Atticus Finch, the legal person of hope Judge Matsch looked up to. Where is Atticus Finch now when this is on the Govnuh’s desk to be signed?
Id call this a rogue state and it should be eliminated from being part of the US…. then again many many other states should be also !!
Will they be forcing abortions on people who become pregnant and have a past history of physically abusing children? I doubt it.
Wouldn’t it make sense even for Alabama to consider this option as an alternative to indefinite hospitalization/confinement of someone? They could either get chemical castration and roam in public, or be held in indefinitely. I could see SOME logic to them as this would be for the “worst of the worst”.
However, the bar is set very low here with this law. It will ensure hundreds of people are chemically castrated without due process. This is definitely going to be legally challenged real quick.
Laws are really screwed up all over down South, eh? Some of us should be counting our lucky stars that we live in progressive/liberal states. The South is trying to continue slavery, one way or another.
Have any of these politicians ever attended a history class? It’s The 75th anniversary of D-Day and here we are still fighting pure evil, hate and ignorance of those in power.
Hitler would be proud!
This isnt equal punishment under the law… no offense to woman but IF a woman molests a child.. what about castrating them, ohh wait we cant maybe they should have a mastectomy ?
Lame loser that is trying to introduce this bill, they should be castrated just simply for being in politics !!
I won’t ever stop thinking children who are sex offenders when I read or hear “child sex offenders”. If only Alabama was barbaric enough to require chemical castration of children (anyone under eighteen according to federal law).
Speaking of Alabama:
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/In-Alabama-rapists-have-parental-rights-13963633.php