What is the difference between civil and criminal commitment?

The difference between civil and criminal commitment in California is an important distinction when it comes to mental health law. Civil commitment is when an individual is involuntarily hospitalized for a mental health disorder and receives treatment for that disorder. This usually happens when an individual poses a risk to themselves or others due to their mental health disorder. Civil commitment is usually initiated by family members, doctors, or police officers who are concerned and believe that the individual needs to be in a protected environment for their own safety. Criminal commitment, also called an involuntary commitment, happens when an individual has been convicted of a crime and then placed in a psychiatric facility during their incarceration. This commitment is done in order to ensure the individual has access to appropriate mental health care while in prison. This is done to ensure that the individual receives the help they need, and to protect the prison or law enforcement personnel from potential dangers posed by the individual. Both civil and criminal commitment are important topics when it comes to mental health law in California. It is important to remember that these two forms of commitment are different and should be used accordingly. Overall, civil commitment is typically done in order to provide an individual with appropriate mental health care, while criminal commitment is done to protect the individual and others from potential dangers.

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What is the difference between civil and criminal commitment?

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