Senator Regina Barrow (D) Baton Rouge
A bill to give judges the discretion to punish individuals who sexually assault a child with surgical castration advances from Senate Judiciary C. Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow’s bill allows for the sentencing of surgical castration if the victim is under the age of 13.
“This would allow a judge to impose a sentencing that may require them to be surgically castrated. And this would actually happen before they are released from prison,” said Barrow.
Lake Charles Senator Mark Abraham said he has a problem with castration if it’s a first offense and that he believes in second chances.
“I know there’s not a lot of second chances when you’re 13 and under, I get that. I don’t want to commit two crimes here I guess is what I’m saying,” Abraham said.
“For me, when I think about a child, one time is too many,” Barrow responded.
“I agree,” said Abraham.
Barrow said she trusts a judge to decide if surgical castration is warranted.
New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez asked if the punishment would apply to women. Barrow said it would. They also discussed how castration can diminish the sexual impulses and aggression of sex offenders.
“At minimum it certainly reduces, probably the aggression to the victim,” Barrow said.
Female castration is the removal of ovaries.
“Yes, to stop the act itself. And then one of the products of an act like that is sometimes pregnancy which obviously that would prevent that,” Miguez stated,
The bill passed in committee without opposition and advances in the session.
In 2008 chemical castration was added as a sentencing option in Louisiana for those guilty of certain crimes, like molestation of a juvenile and aggravated rape.
Comments