{"articles":[{"reaction_config":[{"text":"Support","color":"#2ca788","stance":"support"},{"text":"Oppose","color":"#ef3e42","stance":"oppose"}],"id":29257,"title":"Alabama Governor Signs Into Law Bill Requiring Child Sex Offenders to Be Chemically Castrated","html_content":"

by Axios | 6.11.19

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed a bill into law Monday requiring sex offenders whose victims are younger than 13 to be chemically castrated as a condition of parole, AL.com first reported.

The big picture: Alabama's measure requires offenders to take medication to suppress or block testosterone production before they're paroled. They must pay for it but can't be denied parole simply because they're unable to do so. If an offender stops treatment, they'd be returned to custody for parole violation. A judge would decide when medication could be stopped.

Why it matters: Alabama is the ninth state to pass a chemical castration law, per the OLR Research Report. Rights groups oppose the practice. The American Civil Liberties Union Alabama chapter's executive director Randall Marshall told WTVM it's \"cruel,\" misunderstands what sexual assault is about and it could violate the 8th amendment.

What they're saying: State Rep. Steve Hurst (R-Calhoun County), who introduced the bill, said he hoped it'd stop people molesting children, per WAVE News.

\"How can it be any more inhumane than molesting a small child?\"

","image_urls":{"small":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1560240604/axios-rss/s5z9lshzmguleqwp39gu.jpg","medium":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1560240604/axios-rss/s5z9lshzmguleqwp39gu.jpg","large":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1560240604/axios-rss/s5z9lshzmguleqwp39gu.jpg","thumb":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1560240604/axios-rss/s5z9lshzmguleqwp39gu.jpg","xsmall":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1560240604/axios-rss/s5z9lshzmguleqwp39gu.jpg"},"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/articles/29257-alabama-governor-signs-law-bill-requiring-child-sex-offenders-chemically-castrated","article_comments":"https://www.causes.com/api/articles/29257-alabama-governor-signs-law-bill-requiring-child-sex-offenders-chemically-castrated/comments"},"comment_count":257,"action_count":2022,"cta_prompt":"Do you support chemical castration for child sex offenders?","cta_type":"reactions","share_count":17,"published_at":"2019-06-11T08:10:05.496Z","is_countable_article":false,"allow_advocacy":true,"profile_id":55,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null}],"users":[{"name":"Austin","vote_count":1154,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/1449022171/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/1449022171/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/1449022171/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/1449022171/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/4mKkpn2m/following","followers":"/api/users/4mKkpn2m/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":131,"is_following":null,"influence_score":120,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":2,"following_count":0,"position_count":189,"id":"4mKkpn2m","partner_id":null},{"name":"Kodiwodi","vote_count":848,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/e9X3M3Dm/large_e9x3m3dm-1584284470.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/e9X3M3Dm/small_e9x3m3dm-1584284470.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/e9X3M3Dm/tiny_e9x3m3dm-1584284470.jpg","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/1835970450017106/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/e9X3M3Dm/following","followers":"/api/users/e9X3M3Dm/followers"},"about_me":"Independent. I believe in science, climate change, the earth is round, safe , legal abortions, and an end to hatred and bigotry of all kinds. I’m what’s called a RedLetter Christian and don’t waste my time in Leviticus. I don’t shove my beliefs down your throat and neither should you. I think we can disagree without wishing each other harm and would welcome the return of common human decency. I believe in the US Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights. Earth before Country. People before Corporations. Love before all.","twitter_id":"","facebook_id":"dayers55@yahoo.com","youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":"","website":null,"slug":"kodiwodi","issue_count":91,"is_following":null,"influence_score":15675,"influence_level":40,"follower_count":345,"following_count":35,"position_count":627,"id":"e9X3M3Dm","partner_id":null},{"name":"jimK","vote_count":544,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/large_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/small_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/tiny_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/9odrQBnb/following","followers":"/api/users/9odrQBnb/followers"},"about_me":"Retired, Politically Independent. Won’t listen to slogans, chanted mantras or generally any kind of marketing spin or “rebranding” crap. I firmly believe that everyone else is entitled to their erroneous opinions. Citizen vigilance and due diligence is price we must pay to live in a thriving, functional democracy.\nI fear that our citizens are too easily swayed by politician’s pablum about “babies”, “jobs” and now, in particular, perceived “enemies”. I fear that a citizenry focused on the “here-and-now” is easily tricked by short term benefits that have negative long-term consequences. I fear that our legislators are more concerned about buffing their constituents than looking out for the long-term welfare of our country- and are way too eager to provide those short-term benefits to the “here-and-now” crowd.\nI fear that honor is generally being sacrificed/replaced by expediency. I hear politicians eloquently argue for one side of an issue and later, when it’s to their benefit, just as eloquently argue for the opposite side. OK, so they are good at arguing- but what is that they actually believe? What is it that they actually stand for? An honorable person has values that persist even when it is not convenient or expedient. An honorable person has a moral compass that stops them from doing something wrong even if it is not illegal. A foul is a foul- even if the referee doesn’t catch you.\nI fear that each of our federal governmental branches have devised or discovered shortcuts which tend to protect them from the checks and balances our founders intended.","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"jimk","issue_count":4,"is_following":null,"influence_score":44700,"influence_level":40,"follower_count":1524,"following_count":81,"position_count":539,"id":"9odrQBnb","partner_id":null}],"article_comment":{"flagged":false,"id":908481,"body":"Forced sterilization has a long history of abuse, and even if it's initial use is on heinous sex offenders, it opens the door to use (again) on controlling poor and disabled populations under the pretense of crime prevention","parent_type":"Article","parent_id":29257,"created_at":"2019-06-11T18:46:14.668Z","liked":false,"like_count":2,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/comments/908481","likers":"https://www.causes.com/api/v1/likers?likeable_id=908481&likeable_type=Comment"},"article_id":29257,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/comments/908481.png","note":{"text":"Oppose","color":"#ef3e42","stance":"oppose"},"note_text":"Oppose","note_color":"#ef3e42","user_id":"4mKkpn2m","liker_ids":["e9X3M3Dm","9odrQBnb"]}}

Like Causes?

Comment Liked by 2 Users