Chemical castration is being rolled out across more UK jails to keep 'dangerous' predators 'under control'

Published: 22:27, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 22:31, 18 July 2026 Chemical castration is being rolled out across more prisons in the UK in order to keep sex offenders under control, the Justice Secretary has announced. On Saturday, David Lammy insisted that the hardline punishment for criminals was not being phased out, amongst fears that the scheme had been dropped.  The voluntary chemical castration scheme had first been introduced by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in May last year, but the Government has made little noise about the contentious policy since.  Asked on Saturday if the policy had been dropped, Mr Lammy replied: 'It has not been abandoned.  'In fact we've extended the areas in the country where this can be done. It's important these dangerous individuals are kept under control'.  Chemical castration for prisoners in the UK is currently voluntary and is part of an initiative aimed at lowering reoffending rates among sex offenders, as well as easing the overcrowded prison population.  The scheme introduced by Ms Mahmood in May 2025 focuses on medical and psychological rehabilitation, and uses SSRIs (antidepressants) and hormone suppressants to lower sexual urges.  While the current scheme is strictly voluntary, the Ministry of Justice has considered whether the treatment could be made mandatory for the most serious offenders, including paedophiles, the Sun reported.  Justice Secretary David Lammy said chemical castration is being rolled out to more prisons in the UK on Saturday  Ms Mahmood told the Commons upon the policy being introduced last May: 'I'm not squeamish about taking these further measures'.  She added that she was 'exploring whether mandating the approach is possible', the BBC reported.  The minister extended the initial pilot trial in south-west England to 20 prisons in England, after an independent sentencing review recommended it continue.  The expansion meant that around 6,400 offenders were provided with access to the treatment.   Former Tory justice minister Lord David Gauke's Independent Sentencing Review found sexual offences accounted for 21 per cent of adults serving immediate custodial sentences at the end of March 2025.  The review recommended a 'comprehensive evidence base' be built 'around the use of chemical suppression for sex offenders and explore options for continued funding of services in this area'.  Ms Mahmood told the Commons last year that she was considering making the policy mandatory for the worst offenders  Advocates of the policy argue the drugs can help intrusive thoughts of repeat offenders and reduce the threat to the public of reoffending when combined with rehabilitation programmes.  But critics of the policy raise ethical concerns over compulsory medical treatment to prisoners, warning that the medication is also not effective for offenders whose crimes are driven by violence or power rather than a sexual impulse.  The UK has used medical libido suppressants on a small scale since 2007, with trials beginning in HMP Whatton, a Category C men's prison in Nottinghamshire.  Under the current scheme, participating in the treatment program can be factored into a prisoner's risk assessment.    This means prisoners who volunteer for chemical castration might be released earlier on licence to manage prison overcrowding.  However, prisoners released under these conditions must continue their medication within the community under strict probation monitoring.