Chemical Castration and Physical Castration

A Critical Analysis of the Effects of Chemical Castration and Physical Castration on the Recidivism Rates of Sex Offenders

Introduction

This paper examines the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders.

Using theory integration or the multifactor approach, the findings reveal there are several factors influencing sex offender recidivism. Both chemical castration and physical castration have the potential to reduce the recidivism rates of sex offenders

by lowering testosterone levels, diminishing sexual urges, and making sexual urges more controllable if the sexual urges are motivated by increased testosterone levels. Based on theory integration, most sex offences are not motivated by an increased testosterone level but innate biological features, psychological disorders, and social factors making chemical castration and physical castration ineffective in curing most origins of sexual deviance.

Literature Review

This paper presents a critical analysis of the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. In this paper, the term sex offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of a sex crime and

released back into the community either directly after sentencing or after serving time in prison for the commission of the sex crime. It should be noted that both men and women commit criminal sex acts, however, this paper will focus on the male

offender.

First and foremost, it is of prime importance to clarify the nature of rape and sex crimes. According to Groth and Birnbaum’s study in “Men Who Rape: the Psychology of the Offender” (1979), the motivation for rape and sex crimes stems most commonly from anger and the need to dominate, terrify, and humiliate one’s victim, not from pent-up sexual desire.

“Rape is an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon” (Benedict, 1992, p.14). Rape is used to control one’s victim in the same way a gun is used to control a store clerk in a robbery. Both are methods of control in order to get what one wants. The majority of men cannot even sustain an erection or ejaculate during the commission of a sex crime (Men against Sexual Violence, 2003). Contrary to popular belief, rape is not the fulfillment of an overly stimulated libido; it is primarily a tool to exert power over a victim.

Sex c...

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(Unpublished)