A decade ago, it constituted a periodic embarrassment: an enraged judge would condemn a criminal to castration. The sentence would be disallowed. And a relieved public would laud itself for living in enlightened times.
Well, the definition of enlightenment changes. Last week the California state legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill imposing weekly injections of a sex-drive-reducing hormone called Depo-Provera on all paroled, repeat child molesters. Judges could also order this so-called chemical castration for first-time offenders.
What changed was the perception of sex offenders as compulsive recidivists. For years, Larry Don McQuay begged the state of Texas to castrate him, saying...
