The structure of civil commitment

The contents and provisions of civil commitment codes are shaped by a number of influences. This article examines those influences and categorizes them as either falling within the civil commitment system itself or as being external to that system. From an analysis of those internal and external influences, it is concluded that the structure of civil commitment is very much dependent upon the environment in which such laws operate and upon the intricate and integral relationship between civil commitment and other important forms of mental health legislation (incompetence to stand trial, the insanity defense, etc.).