If Republican Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana signs the law, it will be the first state in the country to use such a penalty.
The Republican-dominated Legislature has passed a bill that would give judges the option to surgically castrate criminals who commit serious sex crimes against a victim 13 years old or younger.
Some states, including California, Florida and Texas, already have laws in place that allow for chemical castration, but offenders can also opt for the surgical procedure. The National Conference of State Legislators, a legislative support organization, said it was not aware of any state in the country that allows judges to order surgical castration.
Medical castration of pedophile offenders has existed in Louisiana for 16 years, but the punishment is rarely used. During chemical castration, in order to reduce sexual desire, drugs are used that block the body's production of testosterone. Surgical castration is a much more invasive procedure.
The bill passed overwhelmingly in both Republican-majority houses of the Louisiana Legislature. Democrats mostly voted against the bill, but the proposal itself was written by Democratic Senator Regina Barrow. Barrow said he hopes the legislation will act as a deterrent to sex offenders.
Although castration is often associated with men, Barrow says the law can also apply to women. He also emphasized that the punishment can be imposed according to individual considerations and based on the discretion of the judges. The penalty can be imposed, not imposed.
If a convict fails to appear or refuses to submit to surgical castration, he could face three to five years in prison.
MTI
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