Lilith,

I think that some of these proposed solutions are too extreme for a liberal democracy. What has been proposed here for these acts is

Branding
Mutilation – physical or chemical.
Death

During the Middle Ages in Europe, branding for a variety of offenses was commonplace. The criminal’s sentence was, in part, being reviled for the rest of his or her life for a crime that may (or may NOT) have been committed in youth. In the 13th century, in both France and England, Jews were obliged to identify themselves with labels on their clothing. The last time I am aware of a class of people being required to publicly display a label identifying them as distinct from any other citizen was in Nazi Europe.

Mutilation/ Forced Sterilization/Castration also has been a punishment for anti-social behavior. There was a period in the not so distant past when the disciple of eugenics was used to justify the sterilization by chemicals, X-ray, and surgery of people who, by the standards of the time were considered “unsuitable” as parents. Nazi Europe was very much NOT the only government to engage in such practices.

Capital punishment is a sentence to be used sparingly. Those who suggest employing it may wish to consider if a conviction for sexual abuse – even when the victim is a child – is a crime more heinous than murder.

As the father of both a son and a daughter, I am not insensitive to the dangers of this type of criminal. I feel the same rage when I read of the savagery these people visit upon their victims. Nevertheless, all of these criminals – both male and female – are human. We may dislike accepting this ugly fact, but it is true. Demonizing them does not justify killing, mutilating, or branding them as if they were insentient animals. Our societies are not improved by institutionalizing revenge.

Permanently segregating these people from society into prisons or penal farms may be one way that we may retain our humanity while removing those who will or can not control their behavior.

__________________
Eudaimonia