A landmark pilot scheme involving the chemical castration of sex offenders is to be rolled out across 20 prisons in England and Wales, the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has confirmed in the Commons.
The announcement follows recommendations from the independent sentencing review, led by former justice secretary David Gauke, which urged further exploration of chemical suppressants as a means of reducing reoffending among sex offenders.
Ms Mahmood stated the Government is “exploring whether mandating the approach is possible,” indicating the potential for compulsory treatment for certain categories of offenders. While such medication has already been piloted in South-West England, the new rollout will be national in scope, although the precise regions and prisons involved have not yet been disclosed.
“The review has recommended we continue a pilot of so-called medication to manage problematic sexual arousal,” Ms Mahmood told MPs. “I will go further with a national rollout, beginning in two regions covering 20 prisons. Of course, it is vital that this approach is taken alongside psychological interventions that target other causes of offending, like asserting power and control.”
Chemical castration, through the use of prescribed medications, can reduce testosterone and libido, making it potentially effective in managing sexually motivated criminal behaviour. However, the review noted its limited relevance in cases where offences are driven by power, control, or sadism—common factors among rapists and paedophiles.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said the Government believes the scientific evidence points to chemical suppressants being “effective in tackling dangerous offenders,” hence the planned expansion.
Yet, the proposal has ignited a fierce debate. Prison Reform Trust chief executive Pia Sinha warned that forcing medical treatment on prisoners could create “clear ethical considerations” and place healthcare professionals in a difficult position. Meanwhile, Marcus Johnstone, a criminal defence solicitor at PCD Solicitors, added: “It won’t solve anything in the long run without adequate funding for counselling and psychological support that is critical to helping the rehabilitation of sex offenders into society.”
As part of broader sentencing reforms, the Government will also enable earlier release for some criminals, including those convicted of violent and sexual offences, if they demonstrate good behaviour. “If they follow prison rules, they will earn earlier release. If they do not, they will be locked up for longer,” Mahmood stated.
Crucially, those serving extended sentences or convicted of terrorist offences will be excluded from any early release eligibility.
The reforms also include scrapping most prison sentences of under 12 months and extending suspended sentence periods from two to three years. In support of these changes, the Probation Service is set to receive up to £700 million in additional funding by 2028/29.
By the final year of the current spending review, Ms Mahmood said total annual spending will rise by up to £1.6 billion, allowing tens of thousands more offenders to be tagged and monitored within the community.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, however, dismissed electronic tags as “smoke alarms putting out bonfires,” suggesting they would do little to stem reoffending. Labour MP Andy Slaughter, chair of the Justice Committee, welcomed the measures but warned: “Only effective rehabilitation to end the cycle of reoffending will see complementary falls in crime and in prison overcrowding.”
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Campbell Robb, chief executive of the social justice charity Nacro, acknowledged the significance of the funding promise but urged the Government to invest more broadly in housing, employment support, and mental health services for offenders.
The reforms follow a string of emergency measures to ease the chronic overcrowding of Britain’s prisons. Ms Mahmood admitted that despite a record prison expansion programme, the number of inmates is expected to exceed capacity by 9,500 by early 2028.
With the prison population currently at 88,103—just below last year’s record high—questions remain over whether the Government’s reforms will be enough.
Andrea Coomber KC, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “The prisons crisis will not be solved by half measures. There are still many difficult questions to be faced and answered. If the Government ducks them, its promises on prison capacity will go unfulfilled.”
