Should anyone ever be committed to a mental institution against his or her wishes? If not, why not? If so, why so, who should make the commitment decision, and what criteria should be used? To make this more concrete, imagine the following scenario: John has spent much of the last month curled up in a fetal position under the dining room table in his apartment. A neighbor is worried and wonders if she should call the county mental health agency. Should she do that? Should they hospitalize John for 72 hours of observation? Who should decide if he should be further hospitalized? Should he be given drugs without his consent? When should he be released? Who should decide whether he is committed and when he is to be released?
