Is Castration a Possible Punishment for Convicted Sex Offenders?

Yes, surgical and chemical castration is legal in several US states and some countries, such as Poland. In the US, California was the first state to legalize the procedure, both chemically and surgically. Eight additional US states have laws allowing either chemical or surgical castration, or both. Some states have requirements that must be met for the procedure to be legal, such as the offender must have committed the offense against a minor.

More Sex Offense Facts:

• Chemical castration is performed with a female hormone called medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), commonly known as Depo-Provera. In women, the hormone helps regulate menstrual cycles and treats symptoms of menopause. In males, however, it reduces their testosterone to pre-pubescent levels.


• In the US, 3 to 6 percent of boys and 12 to 28 percent of girls are victims of some sort of sexual violation before their 18th birthday, and 10 to 15 percent of adult women have been raped.


• Nine states in the US have legalized castration: Georgia, Montana, Oregon, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana and Texas.