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Editor:
This is a response to Jamie Kanter's ("Chemical and physical castration will not stop sex offenders," Sept. 11) column on this issue of castrating criminals. There are studies on the effects of castration of violent criminals going as far back as the turn of the century. The practice of castrating all violent criminals was adopted by Germany during the 1930s and is, I believe, still practiced in Norway.
It is true that the curtailment of violent behavior by castration has been inconclusive. In the studies I have read, many of the violent criminals went on to become repeat offenders even after asexualization had been established. However, repetition of sexual offenses was practically nonexistent. This shows that the aggressive behavior of violent criminals is not really due to excessive amounts of testosterone as some have proposed. The behavior is most certainly caused by a more complex psychosis that involves morals, attitudes and self-control. Interviews of the patients years after the operation showed that castration had little effect on their emotional state. The patients that integrated back into society, when asked, said they were content with their life and were not unhappy.
Castration cannot be said to be cruel or unusual. It has been practiced for thousands of years, and there is no indication that castrated males live in a constant state of torture. The cruel argument falls when we consider that we castrate our pets and livestock, and that it seems to have no effect on their health and welfare whatsoever. The unusual argument also comes short considering that impotency is common in our society due to drugs, environmental pollution or poor nutrition. This is why adoptions and surrogate mothers are in demand.
I think the adversity to castration has a great deal to do with our Puritan culture which uses the Bible as the basis of its moral code. The Old Testament excludes eunuchs from being full participants in society. This, though, was to prevent parents from maiming their children to put them into the service of pagan temples or the king. That castration is wrong would be misinterpretation. This was clarified by Jesus Christ who said "and there are some eunuchs which were made eunuchs by men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." Our Puritan culture often exaggerates the morality of the Bible.
In conclusion, I believe that it would be an error to think that castration will cure violent behavior. However, mandatory castration of violent criminals might be a powerful deterrent to would-be offenders.
Gregory LaPlante
civil engineering senior
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