I really, really dont want to defend this guy, but ill just point out that the conviction was molesting a child. Theres a spectrum of severity of sexual assault cases and not to diminish the suffering of the victim, the language and sentence in this case implies that the act was not particularly severe.
As youve said yourself, the deterrent aspect of sentences does not deter other perpetrators.
Weird punishments like physical (not chemical) castration are more about appeasing victims and the public like your good self, than they are about mitigating the impact of the crime and minimising harm now and in the future.
I really, really dont want to defend this guy, but ill just point out that the conviction was molesting a child. Theres a spectrum of severity of sexual assault cases and not to diminish the suffering of the victim, the language and sentence in this case implies that the act was not particularly severe.
As youve said yourself, the deterrent aspect of sentences does not deter other perpetrators.
Weird punishments like physical (not chemical) castration are more about appeasing victims and the public like your good self, than they are about mitigating the impact of the crime and minimising harm now and in the future.
There is no “not particularly severe” way to molest a child ffs. Read about the issues the poor kid had after the event.