A Virginia legislator is proposing castrating violent sex offenders as an alternative to the increasing costs to detain and treat them after they’ve served their prison sentences. It will also prevent them from repeating their crimes in the future. I think that this makes a great deal of common sense. After all we’re talking about the most repetitive offenders in our society. The rate of repeat offense for violent sex offenders is higher than that of murderers or thieves. We could reduce the number of people incarcerated and treated for the problem over the long term through this process.
Virginia’s Republican Senator Emmett Hanger’s bill would require the state to study the use of castration as an alternative to civil commitment for sexually violent predators. A similar proposal was vetoed four years ago. I think that it is time for this type of approach to violent sex offenders since the types of crimes they commit are so repugnant. The costs associated with civil commitment are rising drastically well over 1000% in the past six years alone.
The civil commitment program’s budget in Virginia grew from $2.7 million in 2004 to $24 million this year. That’s almost a ten fold increase and it’s unacceptable that decent tax payers who don’t commit the crime end up paying for it. Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed spending nearly $70 million over the next two years to meet the increasing demands. It seems like in the State of New York our costs are totally out of control as usual. New York’s costs for civil commitment grew from 4.2 million in 2004 to 40 million this year. This must end and we as citizens must demand that our government change our approach in dealing with these violent sex offenders.
Eight states allow for some form of castration for sex offenders, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Only Louisiana and Texas allow for physical castration. In those two states the rate of repeat offenders has begun to decrease. I think that we need to get out in front on this and urge our legislators to act on the castration of our most violent sex offenders. In that way perhaps they and the rest of society and be better served.
I truly believe that the average violent sex offender is remorseful and feels disgust in their uncontrollable need to promulgate their affliction. Castration would stop their need to offend and protect our citizens so that everyone can get on with leading fruitful and meaningful lives.
Virginia’s Republican Senator Emmett Hanger’s bill would require the state to study the use of castration as an alternative to civil commitment for sexually violent predators. A similar proposal was vetoed four years ago. I think that it is time for this type of approach to violent sex offenders since the types of crimes they commit are so repugnant. The costs associated with civil commitment are rising drastically well over 1000% in the past six years alone.
The civil commitment program’s budget in Virginia grew from $2.7 million in 2004 to $24 million this year. That’s almost a ten fold increase and it’s unacceptable that decent tax payers who don’t commit the crime end up paying for it. Gov. Bob McDonnell has proposed spending nearly $70 million over the next two years to meet the increasing demands. It seems like in the State of New York our costs are totally out of control as usual. New York’s costs for civil commitment grew from 4.2 million in 2004 to 40 million this year. This must end and we as citizens must demand that our government change our approach in dealing with these violent sex offenders.
Eight states allow for some form of castration for sex offenders, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Only Louisiana and Texas allow for physical castration. In those two states the rate of repeat offenders has begun to decrease. I think that we need to get out in front on this and urge our legislators to act on the castration of our most violent sex offenders. In that way perhaps they and the rest of society and be better served.
I truly believe that the average violent sex offender is remorseful and feels disgust in their uncontrollable need to promulgate their affliction. Castration would stop their need to offend and protect our citizens so that everyone can get on with leading fruitful and meaningful lives.
Common Sense 