Convicted paedophiles could soon be ordered to undergo surgical castration in Louisiana | US News

Pedophiles convicted of a sex crime against a child in Louisiana could soon be ordered to undergo surgical castration in addition to prison terms.

US state politicians on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would allow judges to issue the order to those convicted of certain aggravated sexual crimes against a child under 13 years of age.

These crimes include rape, incest and sexual abuse.

If the bill becomes law, it can only apply to men and women whose crime took place on or after August 1 of this year.

Louisiana judges have had the power to order those convicted of such crimes to undergo chemical castration since 2008.

This method involves the use of medications that block the production of sex hormones to decrease libido.

Surgical castration is a much more invasive procedure.

A handful of other states, including California, Florida and Texas, also already have laws that make chemical castration punishable.

In some of those states, offenders can opt for the surgical procedure if they prefer.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has said it is not aware of any state that allows judges to directly impose surgical castration.

During a committee hearing on the Louisiana bill in April, Republican state Sen. Valarie Hodges said, “This is a consequence… It’s a step beyond just going to jail and getting out.”

The bill received overwhelming approval in both Republican-dominated chambers on Monday.

Votes against the bill came primarily from Democrats, however, a politician from the party authored the measure.

The legislation now goes to the desk of conservative Gov. Jeff Landry, who will decide whether to sign it into law or veto it.

Currently, there are 2,224 people incarcerated in Louisiana for sexual crimes against children under 13 years of age.

The bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Regina Barrow, has said it would be an additional step in punishing horrendous crimes. She hopes the legislation will serve as a deterrent to help prevent these types of crimes against children.

“We’re talking about babies being raped by someone,” Barrow said during a committee meeting in April.

“That is unforgivable.”

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While castration is often associated with men, Barrow said the law could also apply to women.

He also stressed that the imposition of punishment would be for individual cases and at the discretion of the judges. Punishment is not automatic.

If an offender “fails to appear or refuses to undergo” surgical castration after a judge orders the procedure, he or she could be charged with “failure to comply” and face an additional three to five years in prison, according to the bill. .

The legislation also stipulates that a medical expert must “determine whether the offender is an appropriate candidate” for the procedure before it is carried out.

Very few offenders have been ordered to undergo chemical castration under current Louisiana law.

Officials have said they could only think of one or two cases between 2010 and 2019.

The bill and plans for chemical castration have received pushback, with opponents saying it is “cruel and unusual punishment” and questioning the effectiveness of the procedure.

Additionally, some Louisiana politicians have questioned whether the punishment was too harsh for someone who may have committed a single crime.

“For me, when I think of a child, one time is too many,” Barrow responded.