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צילום: גבי מנשה
Bill calls for chemical castration of pedophiles
MK Yuval Steinitz’s proposal calls for release of pedophiles who spent at least two years in prison only if they agree to receive psychological, chemical treatment to suppress sexual urges
A bill submitted two weeks ago by Likud Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz advocated the release from jail of convicted pedophiles if they agreed to undergo chemical castration.
According to the bill, convicts who sexually assaulted children and spent at least two years in prison will be released if they receive psychological and chemical treatment to suppress their sexual urges.
Data provided by Steinitz show that there is an 80 percent chance that a released pedophile will offend again.
The proposal determines that a pedophile who refuses to undergo the treatment will risk a longer prison term, and the court will be authorized to keep him or her incarcerated for a period of 20 years.
However, the court will also be authorized to release offenders if it determines that the convict is either no longer a threat to children or due to health concerns.
The bill also states that the health minister will set up a special committee to monitor the treatments and stop them in the cases of severe side-effects or danger to the convict’s health.
The proposal also determines that all sex offenders released from prison will be prohibited from living within three kilometers (1.86 miles) of their victim’s home.
Steinitz said he included this clause after hearing of a family who had to move home after the release from jail of a grocery owner who sexually assaulted their daughter.
“In these cases the attacker drives the victim out of his or her natural surroundings,” the MK said.
“The released sex offenders should be the ones who are punished and detached from their natural surroundings, not the victims and their families, who have suffered enough.”
