In the play Harvey, a man who says he sees a six-foot white rabbit is the target of people who want to admit him involuntarily to a psychiatric hospital. Why is this kind of civil commitment something to be avoided if at all possible?
a. People who are in hospitals involuntarily are usually denied treatment.
b. Civil commitment leads to the stigma of psychiatric hospitalization, major disruptions in the person's life, loss of control over one's life, and loss of self-esteem.
c. People who are committed spend more time in the hospital than they would in prison if they were convicted of a crime.
d. Civil commitment takes away the person's due process rights.
Question 2
Carmelita's mother has contacted an attorney to begin civil commitment proceedings for Carmelita. We can guess that the mother is ____.
a. highly concerned with the lifelong stigma that psychiatric hospitalization might cause her daughter
b. convinced that Carmelita committed a crime while insane
c. concerned that Carmelita is potentially a danger to herself or others
d. aware that Carmelita cannot rationally assist her attorney in a criminal case
