Cabinet Approves Chemical Castration Bill
The Cabinet approved a bill on February 2 that would allow sex offenders to voluntarily undergo so-called chemical castration.
The bill, drafted by the Ministry of Justice, targets offenders whose victims are children and who, despite having served time in jail, have a high probability of committing similar crimes in the future.
According to the ministry, chemical castration is already an accepted form of treatment in countries such as Denmark, Austria, Germany, Canada and the US.
The bill gives courts the right to offer early release in exchange for consenting to chemical castration. But those who abandon the treatment program must continue serving their initial jail term. The court is in charge of appointing the length of the treatment - a minimum of 18 months.
Ingrid Teesalu
