Case Study Analysis: Leilani Muir and the Eugenics Sterilization Case

This case study examines the forced sterilization of Leilani Muir in Alberta, performed under the intervention of the Canadian government. The assignment explores the theory of eugenics, its application, and the resulting violation of human rights. Leilani Muir, admitted to a mental institution, was sterilized without consent, leading to irreversible damage and the inability to bear children. The case analyzes the criminal behavior of the government's actions, considering the social and psychological impacts, and the violation of fundamental rights. The document references the theory of eugenics, the historical context of the case, and the legal consequences, including the compensation received by Leilani Muir. It concludes that the theory of eugenics was unfit and resulted in severe mental agony and human rights violations. The case study highlights the brutal nature of the forced sterilization and its lasting impact on individuals and society.

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Criminology

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Introduction
The current case deals with the sterilization of a young girl called Leilani Muir, without her
consent. The sterilization was performed under the intervention of the Canadian Government,
Alberta. This act was considered as one of the most heinous crimes of all times. The government
committed a very nasty and a perilous act upon the lady without her consent, resulting in an
irreparable damage for her life. She could never taste the beauty of motherhood and bear
children. Her marriage was dissolved on account of this brutality (Muir, 2014).
Theory of Eugenics
The theory of Eugenics was developed long ago, by the scientist Francis Bolton during the
nineteenth century. The term eugenics means well born. This theory was based on the
combination of heredity and the principles of Charles Darwin. This theory stated imposing a
regulation upon the animals for breeding help in the benefits of health of the animals.
Consequently, their role in the farms would also improve. This theory was applied to human race
for their improved and better offsprings (Begos, Deaver, Railey Sexton & Lombardo, 2012).
This theory enabled that humans mated with only those who were able and perfect. Those who
possessed any physical or mental incapacity would not be allowed to mate. The government
justified this by stating that the inferior breeds of humans could be avoided (Hansen & King,
2013).
Facts of the case
When Leilani Muir was 14 years old she was admitted in the Provincial Training School for
Mental Defectives. Over there, she was surgically sterilized without her consent. She was not at
all aware that her life was going to be changed forever and all her reproductive organs would be
taken away from her. Having a bad childhood and despised by her own mother, she always
wanted to live a happy life. But all her happiness were taken away from her at the earliest stage
of her adolescence. The government justified that she possessed low IQ and was not fit to be a
parent. She possessed the peril of transfer of progeny due to a mental disorder she had. Her IQ
was 64, whereby the highest would be 90. The government stated that CASE 3280 (Leilani
Muir) was incapable of becoming a responsible and a mature parent so they took away her right
to be a mother.

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The criminal behavior
The union of sexes and the procreation of children is the order of the nature. The world would
prosper by this method. But creating a hindrance on this method was not only preventing the
human nature to function, but also committing a crime against the human beings. They suffered
extreme agony, depression, irreparable damage and they become handicapped throughout their
lives (Lombardo, 2011). The documentary portrays the biological and psychological elements of
criminal behavior. Though the action was a statutory action and an act of the state, yet it would
be no defence to claim immunity from the crime the government has committed. Sterilization
without consent is itself a crime. The government official did not possess a guilty mind towards
Leilani Muir personally but their act caused tremendous damage to mental state. They
handicapped her forever. This is was not an offence but a norm of the society back then, but
today it is a crime. It is a violation against the fundamental rights of a woman (Rutecki, 2011). It
is also a violation of human right against the woman. The social correlates is identified on the
basis of the fact that it was a crime against the society as well as against the person. The impact
upon the issue was gross as there was no logic behind the application of a theory of an animal
towards the human race. It was a crime against humans of the present generation as well as a
crime against the future generation to come. The theory of eugenics was not the right and desired
method to curb the population. Neither was it the appropriate measure to bring about the
improvement in the people nor make them perfect (Steele, 2014). In case, children were born
with mental mental or physical disorder, it could be treated well with medical treatment. But
making the people handicapped to bring their children on earth was a gross and nasty thing to
commit against any human being. It also incorporated endless brutality within itself. These were
the major propositions to the theory of eugenics and it was not well accepted by the people.
Conclusion
Having a look at the facts, criminal behaviors and the theories of the case, it can be concluded
that the theory was highly unfit and resultant factor of mental agony to the human race.
Sterilizing women and castrating men against their will was a heinous crime. It was highly
brutal. It was against the basic fundamental rights given to the people. It was also a violation
against the human rights. Leilani Muir could establish all the pains she suffered before the court
and justice was delivered to her. She received a compensation of a quarter of a million dollar.

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References
Begos, K., Deaver, D., Railey, J., Sexton, S., & Lombardo, P. (2012). Against Their Will: North
Carolina’s Sterilization Program and the Campaign for Reparations. Apalachicola, FL:
Gray Oak Books.
Hansen, R., & King, D. (2013). Sterilized by the state: eugenics, race, and the population scare
in twentieth-century North America. London, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Lombardo, P. A. (Ed.). (2011). A century of eugenics in America: from the Indiana experiment to
the human genome era. New York, USA: Indiana University Press.
Muir, L. (2014). A whisper past: childless after eugenic sterilization in Alberta. Victoria, USA:
Friesen Press.
Rutecki, G. W. (2011). Forced sterilization of Native Americans: later twentieth century
physician cooperation with national eugenic policies?. Ethics & Medicine, 27(1), 33.
Steele, L. (2014). Disability, abnormality and criminal law: sterilisation as lawful and
‘good’violence. Griffith Law Review, 23(3), 467-497.