“Chemical castration” is the words that cause a shudder in the consciousness of every libertarian in the country. Not only is "chemical castration" in the thoughts of legislators and judges across the country, it is also actually happening. California has recently passed a law that mandates chemical castration as a condition of parole for repeat sex offenders and the discretionary chemical castration of paroled one-time sex offenders. Although this news may shock and surprise some, upon a closer examination and unraveling of the issues, chemical castration may not be such a bad idea after all and may be here to stay as part of American jurisprudence.
The term "chemical castration" is actually a misnomer. No permanent physiological alteration is required to carry out this procedure.
An FDA-approved birth control drug is administered in weekly injections and serves to quell the sex drive of male sex offenders. This treatment, which will be explained, is not perfect however.
Chemical castration is neither castration nor sterilization. Unlike actual castration, no permanent physical change is wrought in the body by the administration of Depo Provera to "chemically castrate" a sex offender (Fitzgerald, 1990). Depo Provera is an FDA-approved birth control drug that quells the sex drive of sex offenders; it lowers testosterone levels in males by decreasing androgen levels in the bloodstream. This, in theory, reduces the compulsive sexual fantasies of some types of sex offenders. Side effects from the drug have been rare and "are believed to be fully reversible with cessation of treatment." (Stelzer, G.L. 1997)
Depo Provera treatment is a relatively recent response by some legislatures to help curb the recidivism rates of some types of sex offenders, most notably paraphiliacs, or those possessed of uncontrollable biological urges in the form of sexual fantasies that can usually only be satisfied by acting on the fantasy and succumbing to the compulsion (Peters, 1993:313).........
