Civil commitment in the United States historically has followed a medical,
targeting individuals with serious mental disorders and providing for their
treatment in the least restrictive setting. In the last decade, however, c
ommitment laws have appeared in some states permitting the hospitalization
of personality-disordered criminal offenders at the end of a penal sentence
. The American Psychiatric Association has fiercely opposed these laws. The
U.S. Supreme Court has given its qualified approval, although legal challe
nges persist. These laws, together with British proposals to permit the civ
il commitment of dangerous personality-disordered individuals, should be re
sisted by all professional disciplines. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Son
s, Ltd.