And they'll pay for it too
Guam already has a “Chemical Castration for Sex Offenders Act” which was enacted in 2015, but it's more or less a dead letter, since rules for it were never adopted. As a result, the law has never been implemented or enforced.
Sen. James C. Moylan wants to change that.
Moylan has introduced Bill 137-35, which would update and strengthen the law. The bill would make the Hormone or Anti-Androgen Treatment Program, also known as “Chemical Castration," a requirement for those qualified sex offenders who are released on parole, probation or post sentencing supervision. The offender would also be required to pay for the treatment program.
“The intent of the legislation is to add more teeth to an existing mandate. Rather than making the program an option or voluntary, we are making it a requirement for certain offenders. Furthermore, we are also mandating that the offender pay for the treatment as part of their parole or probationary requirements," said Senator Moylan. “Our objectives are not only to reduce recidivism among convicted sex offenders, but also to keep the community [and] most importantly the victims safe."
The bill would specify that qualifying sex offenders have been diagnosed with a "DSM-5 paraphilic disorder, be convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct and/or that the victim of the crime was a minor.
The Hormone or Anti-Androgen Treatment essentially has the potential of reducing testosterone to pre-puberty levels, which has been proven to lower the urges for the offender to re-commit a crime associated with criminal sexual conduct.
The legislation further requires that the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of Public Health and Social Services, establish the rules and regulations to assure that this new act, if enacted, is smoothly implemented and enforced.
Additionally, the legislation sends out a strong message to sex offenders that such crimes will not be tolerated, and to the victims and their families, that the government stands with you. Bill 137-35 is also a continuation of a series of public safety measures introduced by Moylan in recent weeks.