A lawmaker from Alabama wants to pass a bill that would castrate the private parts of convicted sex offenders in the state. What's even more surprising is that, the lawmaker wants these offenders to pay for their own surgical castration.
This isn't the first time Alabama State Representative Steve Hurst has pushed for this bill to be approved. NY Daily News reported that back in 2013, Hurst had attempted to pass the bill that would punish sex offenders by permanently castrating off their private parts.
Mint Press News reported that, the bill would be for sex offenders over the age of 21 who have been convicted of a sexual offense against a child aged 12 years old or younger. Before leaving the custody of the state's Department of Corrections, the offender should have his private parts surgically and permanently castrated off.
ABC News has reported that, the reason why Hurst wants this bill to be passed is so that the number of cases involving the sexual abuse of children in Alabama would be greatly reduced. While there are people who generally agree that such a crime deserves a severe punishment, other respondents do not believe that permanent physical mutilation is the right punishment.
However, Hurst is conviced that this is a justified permanent punishment, considering the victims of such crimes also encounter the same permanent injury. The lawmaker shared that the offenders "have marked this child for life and the punishment should fit the crime."
Before the bill is passed, it will need to get the approval of the judiciary committee before moving to the Alabama House and Senate. From there, it will receive the decision of the officials who will assess whether or not it is justified as a permanent punishment.
As of this writing, there are seven states that allow convicted sex offenders to opt for the use of voluntary chemical castration instead of imprisonment. Among this number, Texas is the only state that allows certain repeat offenders to choose surgical castration.
The chemical and surgical method of castration still causes a controversy among individuals of society and lawmakers throughout the world.
