Legislating social control of the mentally ill in California
Abstract
The Lanterman-Petris-Short Act in California has been acclaimed for protecting the civil rights of the mentally ill and curbing unnecessary involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. Its passage, however, has not prevented an increase in the rate of involuntary admissions to state hospitals and a marked decrease in the rate of voluntary admissions. This has greatly changed the functions and problems of state hospitals. In local as well as state hospitals large numbers of people continue to become involuntary psychiatric patients. In many cases this results from gaps between the law and its implementation. It appears that professionals, the courts, families, and society generally feel a continuing need for social control of the mentally ill.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).