Marta has been diagnosed with catatonic schizophrenia and resides in a psychiatric hospital. When Marta takes her medication, her catatonic symptoms decrease significantly. However, Marta recently has started to refuse her medication, stating that she does not like the side effects. What should staff do?
a. Given that Marta is refusing to take her medication, they should revoke her right to the least restrictive alternative and place her in a locked psychiatric ward.
b. Nothing; Marta has the right to refuse treatment.
c. Based on her right to the least restrictive alternative, they should move Marta to a group home in the community.
d. Based on the right to treatment, they should force Marta to take her medications.
Question 2
May criminal defendants be forced to take medication that will make them competent to stand trial if doing so will likely result in their execution?
a. No. That would clearly violate their constitutional rights.
b. Yes. If medication is likely to improve the defendant's mental condition, both the state and the defendant should be entitled to have the case tried.
c. No. Such actions would not be in the best interests of the defendant.
d. Perhaps. In 2003 the Supreme Court put strict limits on involuntarily medicating mentally ill defendants to make them competent to stand trial.
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