Life and Death in the American Criminal Justice System: 4. Project X: The Castration Experiment. An Eye for Justice Series, Part 4. 1999
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016; 212-808-4980
Produced by Worldview Pictures
Director n/a
VHS, color, 51 min.
College - Adult
Criminal Justice
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Barbara Wetzel, Villa Maria College, Buffalo, New YorkThe opening of the program features a rapist giving his account of the crime he committed. The rapist feels the need to control, humiliate, anger, segregate, dominate, and inflict fear upon the victim. Statistics show the rapist has committed at least 5-6 crimes before being charged with his first offense and will commit more crimes. Castration is an alternative suggestion to stop sexual crimes. The idea of castration is not a new idea. It was in effect in Kansas in 1885, used during World War II by the Germans, used in the 1960's by some countries on mental patients, and in the 1990's by several states.
This controversial documentary focuses on the victim, the rapists, and the criminal justice system. Raising issues like: types of punishment, length of prison terms, costs, and the use of castration by x-ray, surgery, or chemicals for sex offenders. This is a powerful documentary with sensitive subject matter interspersed with black and white images, and haunting music which makes this video program usable in selective audiences. Perhaps a good choice for the law and medical professionals.