Castration is one of the options that has been put forward as a type of punishment/treatment for convicted sex offenders. Castration can be divided into two separate categories: chemical or surgical. Surgical castration is the removal of a man’s testicles, for the purpose of lowing his testosterone levels, leading to lower levels of sexual desires (Stone et al., 2000). Chemical castration is an injection of an antidrogenic, which works to inhibit the brain from producing hormones that stimulate the testicles to produce testosterone (Harrison, 2008, Stone et al., 2000). Like surgical castration the intension of chemical castration is to lower testosterone levels, and limit sexual deviance (Stone et al., 2000). One could argue that castration would make a good punishment for sex offenders, however it does not address the psychological aspects of sexual assault. The act of rape is much more than the forced penetration of a penis in a vagina and using castration as a treatment or punishment for sex crimes does not address the offender’s mental issues or the legal implications of doing so.
The act of castration dates back several centuries. Back in ancient times castrated men were used to watch over women’s quarters or were used as chamberlains in noble households (Scott, &Holmberg, 2003). In the 18th century young boys who belonged to choirs were castrated when they reached puberty, in order to keep their high-pitched singing voices (Scott, &Holmberg, 2003). Young boys who had this procedure done were known as castrati (Scott, &Holmberg, 2003). The start of the of 20th century saw the eugenics movement, which was the forced sterilization of people with undesirable traits so they would not pollute the gene pool with their defectives (...
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It is very common for these individuals to be monitored for drug use during this treatment/therapy regimen so as not to undermine the program or the criminal justice system. Psychotherapy is often best for a population such as sex offenders. Since no medication has yet been proven to be effective against a sex offender’s urges, cognitive behavioral therapy (as well as intense supervision) is the most effective modality of
In the event that a prisoner (particularly a sex offender) does complete rehabilitation, he carries with him a stigma upon reentering society. People often fear living near a prior drug addict or convicted murderer and the sensational media hype surrounding released felons can ruin a newly released convict’s life before it beings. What with resident notifications, media scare tactics and general concern for safety, a sex offender’s ability to readapt into society is severely hindered (554). This warrants life-skills rehabilitation applied to him useless, as he will be unable to even attempt to make the right decision regarding further crime opportunities.
Yates, P. M. (2005). Pathways to treatment of sexual offenders: Rethinking intervention. Forum on Corrections Research, 17, 1-9.
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 21(1), 49-66. Levenson, J.S., D’Amora, D.A., & Hern, A.L. (2007). The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary'. Megan’s Law and its impact on community re-entry for sexual offenders. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 25(1), 587-602.
Letourneau, E. J., Henggeler, S. W., Borduin, C. M., Schewe, P. A., McCart, M. R., Chapman, J. E., & Saldana, L. (2009). Multisystemic therapy for juvenile sexual offenders: 1-year results from a randomized effectiveness trial. Journal of Family Psychology, 23(1), 89-102.
Many resources go into the prevention and management of sex offenders. However, very few effective programs exist that decrease the likelihood of reoffending. Through the use of meta-analyses, Seto and Lalumiere (2010) evaluated multiple studies that examined sex offenders. Emphasis was put on etiological explanations in the hopes of identifying factors associated with sex offending. Seto and Lalumiere’s (2010) findings help in creating effective programs to decrease recidivism rates.
These cognitive-behavioral techniques; anger management, deviant sexual arousal, and interventions dependent on the principles of risk, responsibilities and needs provide the most common forms of treatment used with sex offenders. Typically, these techniques ensure effective treatment of cognitive distortions, teaching of social skills and empathy and the implementation of emotion management and relapse prevention. Cognitive-behavioral techniques are proven and effective treatment for a number of mental illnesses and problems because they are comprehensive and effectual treatments and can be considered the best practice for treatment with sexual offenders as inferred by Alaska Dept of Corrections and United States of America
Vandiver, D. M., & Teske, R. (2006). Juvenile female and male sex offenders a comparison of offender, victim, and judicial processing characteristics. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 50(2), 148-165.
In the United States, as a condition of parole, sex offenders are typically required to register with law enforcement officials when released from prison. These officials notify the public of the offender’s release back into society and provide them with information such as the offenders address, and other personal information. Research indicates the notification system can have an adverse effect on the offender’s life, casting doubt on what the laws intended to protect the public. This paper will explore the background of sex offender registries, the relationship between the sex offender notifications and registration laws, and higher rates of recidivism in the United States. Introduction Sex offender legislation has become a controversial topic in the recent years.
In order to state why castrations should be allowed on sex offenders, Wright provides key information and examples as to why it should be allowed. He first talks a little bit about the sex offenders they currently have in jail in Texas. He explains that only a small amount are actually receiving therapy and how more than half will be arrested for a sex crime a few years later after getting released from jail. The next thing Wright talks abou...
Treatment approaches consist of cognitive behavioral and multisystemic therapies (Fanniff & Becker, 2006). Juveniles that are convicted of sex offenses may be placed on sex offender registry, occasionally a permanent status (Salerno, Stevenson, el al., 2010). It is unlike a sex offender to adhere to the appropriate sexual and social behaviors; thus the goal for adolescents is to understand the complex world to overcome the typical characteristics of a sex offender. This paper will consist the common characteristics of juvenile sex offenders and the treatment that are considered to be effective. Additionally, academic research is acquired that focus on offender registration and recidivism
Sex offenders have been a serious problem for our legal system at all levels, not to mention those who have been their victims. There are 43,000 inmates in prison for sexual offenses while each year in this country over 510,000 children are sexually assaulted(Oakes 99). The latter statistic, in its context, does not convey the severity of the situation. Each year 510,000 children have their childhood's destroyed, possibly on more than one occasion, and are faced with dealing with the assault for the rest of their lives. Sadly, many of those assaults are perpetrated by people who have already been through the correctional system only to victimize again. Sex offenders, as a class of criminals, are nine times more likely to repeat their crimes(Oakes 99). This presents a
Two of the sex offenders from the Worley study reported that during Halloween they are told by law enforcement to not answer the door or have outside lights on. Also, local television networks broadcast their picture to warn others of their sex offender status. This then leads to much embarrassment and shame, having their picture televised every year (Worley, R. M., & Worley, V. B., 2013). Today, anyone with Internet access can view and search the sex offender registries and this leads to the direct violation of privacy of these sex offenders. Not only are they tormented but their family members are as well. Their children are bullied at school and their spouses may be forced to quit their jobs (“US: Sex Offender Laws May Do More Harm Than Good,” 2007) As discussed earlier, the sex offender faces harassment and abuse constantly when they are placed on the sex offender
Second time offenders of sex crimes such as rape should be castrated and emasculated slowly with a dull, rusty knife. The criminal should be revived every time he passes out from pain. This heinous crime deserves this much at the very least. After all, this person has violated another person and taken something away, a trust that can never be fully restored. The victims of these crimes never fully trust again.