Louisiana Lawmakers Vote to Allow Pedophiles to Be Surgically Castrated
Louisiana lawmakers on Monday passed a bill that would allow people convicted of certain sex crimes against children under the age of 13 to undergo surgical castration as punishment.
The bill, which now goes to Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to sign it into law or veto, gives judges the option to sentence offenders to surgical castration if they’re found guilty of crimes including rape, incest, or molestation. Chemical castration, which uses hormone blockers to decrease sex drive, is already legal in Louisiana and several other states.
Opponents say the bill is an example of cruel and unusual punishment, but its sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Regina Barrow, stressed the “inexcusable” nature of sexual offenses against young children.