Compulsory sterilization, also known as forced or coerced sterilization, is a government-mandated program to sterilize a specific group of people. Although such programs have been made illegal in most countries of the world, instances of forced or coerced sterilizations persist.

Indiana became the first state to enact sterilization legislation in 1907, followed closely by Washington, California, and Connecticut in 1909. Sterilization rates across the country were relatively low (California being the sole exception) until the 1927 Supreme Court case Buck v.

Forced and coerced sterilization is inherently a discriminatory practice. The motivating reason for forced and coerced sterilizations is to deny specific populations the ability to procreate due to a perception that they are less than ideal members of society.

These laws were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1927 and were not abolished until the mid-20th century. All in all, 60,000 Americans were sterilized.

The California Penal Code prohibits inmates from being sterilized unless the procedure is required to protect the life of the inmate or the procedure is necessary for treating a diagnosed condition and the patient gave consent to the procedure.

1927

enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence.” Such crimes may be prosecuted as grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions (in the context of international armed conflict) or as violations of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions (in the context of internal armed conflict).

Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927), is a decision of the United States Supreme Court, written by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in which the Court ruled that a state statute permitting compulsory sterilization of the unfit, including the intellectually disabled, “for the protection and health of the state” did not violate …

This is the story of Carrie Buck, and three generations of her very small family: Emma, Carrie and Vivian. A grandmother, a mother and a child who, by virtue of their poverty and some very bad luck, became the test case for forced sterilizations in the United States. “Cause see, I wanted to have children.”

Sterilization may be defined as the statistically complete destruction of all microorganisms including the most resistant bacteria and spores. Sterilization may be defined as the statistically complete destruction of all microorganisms including the most resistant bacteria and spores.