Sentencing Law and Policy reports on a new bill in Alabama that seeks mandatory castration for certain sex offenders. Here's the AP article.

The House passed a bill Thursday that would require mandatory castration of persons convicted of violent sex crimes against children under 12 and would require them to wear electronic monitoring devices for the rest of their lives after release from prison.

...A milder version of the legislation passed the Senate 35-0. The Senate version provides stiffer penalties for sex offenders, provides for electronic monitoring for at least 10 years and toughens requirements for them to report their location to police, but does not include the castration requirement or other tougher language added in the House.

....Either the House or Senate version must pass in the other chamber before the legislation can become law.