Europe Debates Castration for Sex Offenders

There's an excellent article in NY Times regarding the use of castration for violent and repeat sex offenders. This debate has been the subject of many arguments among me and my friends. I am pro-castration in the case of violent offenders. I'm sorry, but reproductive rights end right there, in my opinion. I'm open to hear other opinions, though.


Here's one offender's argument:
“I can finally live knowing that I am no harm to anybody,” he said during an interview at a McDonald’s here, as children played loudly nearby. “I am living a productive life. I want to tell people that there is help.”

And more evidence in support:
A Danish study of 900 castrated sex offenders in the 1960s suggested the rate of repeat offenses dropped after surgical castration to 2.3 percent from 80 percent.

And an argument in opposition:
But human rights groups say that such studies are inconclusive because they rely on self-reporting by sex offenders. Other psychiatric experts argue that sexual pathology is in the brain and cannot be cured by surgery.

FTA:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/world/europe/11castrate.html?pagewanted=1