UK Considers Mandatory Chemical Castration for Sex Offenders
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood Proposes Expansion of Drug Treatment to Ease Prison Overcrowding and Reduce Reoffending.
Watan-UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced Thursday that the government is considering making chemical castration mandatory for certain sex offenders. The proposal aims to curb reoffending rates and help relieve projected prison overcrowding, with estimates forecasting a shortage of 9,500 prison spaces by early 2028.
The initiative builds on a 2022 pilot program launched in several prisons in southwest England, where libido-suppressing drugs have been offered voluntarily. Now, the government is weighing whether to expand the program nationally—and possibly make it compulsory.
“The report recommends continuing the pilot of drug treatments for managing problematic sexual desire,” Mahmood told Parliament. “I will move forward with a national rollout starting in two regions, covering 20 prisons. I am also considering making this system mandatory.”
UK Weighs Mandatory Chemical Castration Amid Prison Overcrowding and Rising Sex Offense Rates
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson supported the initiative, citing “clear scientific evidence” that chemical treatments are effective for managing high-risk offenders.
As of March 31, 2025, there were 14,863 inmates serving sentences for sexual offenses in England and Wales, making up about 21% of the adult prison population.
Chemical castration is already used in countries such as Poland, Russia, South Korea, Germany, and various U.S. states as a criminal justice tool to manage sex offenders.
