An empirical comparison of the stone and dangerousness criteria for civil commitment.
Massachusetts civil commitment criteria were compared in an emergency setting with a set of criteria developed by Dr. Alan Stone. Contrary to expectations, the Stone criteria proved to be more restrictive in a sample of 503 patients. Few patients would be newly committable under the Stone criteria; of the 35 patients committable under the Stone standard, 32 also met the current Massachusetts criteria for commitment. The clinical and policy implications of the adoption of the Stone criteria are discussed.
Hoge
S K
SK
University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Worcester 01605.
Appelbaum
P S
PS
Greer
A
A
D000328:Adult; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D026706:Paternalism; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014754:Violence