# Chemical castration? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676 "2025-05-22T18:02:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/1 "2025-05-22T18:02:37Z")
There seems to be a new movement towards this in the UK. > **[Chemical castration for sex offenders to be trialled in 20 prisons](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmkv3jezzdo)** > > Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is also exploring whether chemical castration could be made mandatory. What do we think? I will just mention Alan Turing… ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/2 "2025-05-22T18:07:33Z")
If prisoners had the option to reduce their sentence instead of mandatory … why not? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/3 "2025-05-22T18:28:59Z")
But would it actually work? I can see that it could kill off a physiological sexual response, but to the extent that sexual offences apparently may have as much to do with exercising power over the victim, is that impulse likely to disappear? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/4 "2025-05-22T18:38:31Z")
Yes, and when the definition of “sex offenders” becomes too broad due to socio-political changes, what then? Aside from the intrusiveness and creepiness of lowering a man’s sex drive with drugs, for me there is another issue. This is another straw on the camel’s back about how men are slaves to their gonads and sexual urges. It’s kind of the other side to the religious principle that women are an irresistible temptation to men so women and men must be separated. I think this is backwards thinking, and we should be exploring different ways to dealing with the problem. This is just throwing up your hands and saying there’s nothing we can do about some men’s “uncontrollable” lust. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > If prisoners had the option to reduce their sentence instead of mandatory … why not? I wonder how the victims of their crimes would feel about that. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/5 "2025-05-22T19:32:07Z")
Chemical castration by use of testosterone blockers (long-acting injections which work for 6 months or more) is commonly done on prostate cancer patients at present. It’s been an option for sex offenders in some jurisdictions for as long as 4 or more decades. It works by lowering testosterone levels down as low as ‘undetectable’. In the latter population, studies have shown a great reduction in not only sexual interest, but also aggression. Having worked in Corrections myself, I can certainly see it as an adjunct treatment modality in addition to psychiatric/behavioral interventions. But it’s certainly no cure and should not be considered a sex offender’s sole treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/6 "2025-05-22T23:01:27Z")
This article is from 20 years ago but might still be of interest. # [Expert says castration no cure for pedophilia](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Expert-says-castration-no-cure-for-pedophilia-1913426.php) > According to a number of European studies, the procedure has shown reductions in male libido while also decreasing recidivism rates. > > Recidivism rates of sex offenders castrated in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland and Norway ranged from 1.1 percent to 7.3 percent. > > One German study found that 3 percent of men had been involved in sex offenses after castration while 46 percent of noncastrated men had been involved in sex offenses. NB: at the time, Texas had been performing voluntary castrations on inmates for 3½ years. The state authorized castrations in '97 with the first in December of 2001. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/7 "2025-05-22T23:08:23Z")
If it helps protect the public, I’m fine with it as a condition of release. Also this isn’t the same thing as what happened with Turing. Consenting adults are not the same thing as people who forcibly sexually abuse people. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/8 "2025-05-22T23:13:36Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I will just mention Alan Turing… The big difference is that Turing wasn’t guilty of any moral impropriety. His offense was against an archaic, barbaric law against homosexuality. The treatment probably drove him to suicide. At most, I think this option should be voluntary and offered as an incitement to shorter incarceration, but **only** if it’s shown to be highly effective. From what **Qadgop** and **Skywatcher** posted, apparently it’s only useful in conjunction with other interventions, and I’d suggest that those other methods must include regular monitoring – essentially, long-term or even lifetime parole, depending on circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/9 "2025-05-22T23:35:26Z")
I’ve also seen it ordered for men with severe mental impairment or post-traumatic brain injury who cannot be taught to channel this in appropriate ways. There are also serious ethical issues with this, but if it’s the best alternative, I’m personally OK with it. There are quite a few people who are OK with, shall we say, chopping off all their equipment, but that’s not the way things are done in a civilized society. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/10 "2025-05-23T00:07:20Z")
Call me a cynic, yet I see this as a way of saving all the money incarceration costs than allowing freedom for rehabilitated prisoners who have earned the right for early release. All the monitoring or other treatment would also cost a lot of money and if that is de funded it’s all about this chemical stuff really reducing aggression else the public has been betrayed. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/11 "2025-05-23T00:37:42Z")
If it doesn’t cure the inmate of the “power agression” over children and adults, I could only agree if it _does not_ give them release from prison. Maybe a less harsh prison. Better conditions. If they agree to other treatment, as well. Psychiatric treatment. But no freedom. I don’t trust it to work. ---
**Author:** ![RonF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RonF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RonF)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/12 "2025-05-23T03:25:37Z")
Perhaps a better solution would be 26 rounds of highly targeted radiation of the Prostate Gland! I had this for prostate cancer. Painless. Cured the cancer; Absolutely no sex drive. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/13 "2025-05-23T08:11:03Z")
I see my question about the power/aggression aspect of sexual offences was answered in the details of the report, and this isn’t a done deal, rather yet more pilots/investigation: > **[What are the ‘radical’ proposed reforms to UK criminal sentencing?](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/22/what-are-the-radical-proposed-reforms-to-uk-criminal-sentencing?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other)** > > David Gauke said the suggestions in his review should solve the prison crisis. Here’s what he recommended ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/14 "2025-05-23T08:58:53Z")
My understanding is that this is a voluntary programme, it’s not being forced on prisoners. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2025, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemical-castration/1018676/15 "2025-05-23T10:04:47Z")
I’d say welcome, but I see you joined nearly 10 years ago ! (Is that a record ?)