Plan to Forcibly Medicate Paedophiles in the Works
A government working group is putting together a proposal to forcibly medicate convicted paedophiles.
Currently it is illegal to require individuals to take medication in Finland.
The number of persons accused of paedophilia has more than doubled since the turn of the century. Many of the culprits are repeat offenders.
Last year, the Justice Ministry established a working group to determine if perpetrators could be forcibly medicated. According to information obtained by YLE, the group feels that persons guilty of aggravated paedophilia could be prescribed such treatment. The drugs are already in use in Denmark and Sweden.
“The drugs interact with hormonal systems and suppress sex drive. This is an extreme solution and should only be used as a last resort,” said Hannu Lauerma, the chief physician at the Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners.
The working group has challenges ahead if it wants to see this legislation passed. Under Finland's current law, individuals cannot be medicated against their will. Furthermore, there is the question of how to monitor the use of the medication. The working group is also considering whether failure to take the drugs could be grounds for shipping convicts back to jail.
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