United Kingdom Considering Chemical Castration for Certain Sex Offenders
The United Kingdom is considering mandatory chemical castration for certain sex offenders to reduce the risk of reoffending and ease prison overcrowding, Justice Minister Shabana Mahmood said today.
The project, still in the planning phase, is based on a 2022 pilot program in several prisons in southwest England, where libido-inhibiting treatments are currently offered on a voluntary basis.
The proposal is one of several options listed in an independent report on sentencing offenders released today, which estimates that the country will face a shortfall of 9,500 prison places by early 2028.
The minister told MPs that the possibility of making the measure mandatory is being explored.
According to her, psychological treatment should be required alongside chemical castration, especially for offenders whose motivation stems more from a need for power or domination than from sexual desire.
Chemical castration of sex offenders is used in many countries, including Poland, Russia, South Korea, Germany, and several U.S. states.
In France, it is prescribed by a physician, not criminal courts.
