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Article: Laws of impotence. (chemical castration laws)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- September 21, 1996
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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ON SEPTEMBER 17th Pete Wilson, the governor of California, maintained his reputation as one of the most Draconian politicians in the union. He signed a bill that makes chemical castration-a method that uses drugs rather than knives-a mandatory condition of parole for criminals twice-convicted of certain sex crimes. California is the first state to enact such a law, although at least six others are currently considering similar legislation.
The Californian bill is aimed specifically at child molestors, a group which along with other sex offenders are notorious for repeating their crimes. Proponents, including many women's groups, argue that chemical castration can ...