PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

When a federal hospital director says a person in federal custody who is about to get out, was sent to the hospital under court order, or had charges dropped only because of mental problems is still mentally ill and would likely hurt someone or badly damage property if released, the director must send a written certificate to the court where the person is held. The court gets copies and stops the release. The court can order a mental exam and a report, then hold a hearing to decide if the person is still dangerous. If the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person is dangerous, the court must commit them to the Attorney General. The Attorney General must try to get the person’s home State (including the District of Columbia) to take responsibility for custody, care, and treatment. If a State agrees, the person is sent there. If no State will take the person, the Attorney General must hospitalize them in a suitable facility until a State accepts them or until the person’s condition improves so release or conditional release would not be dangerous, whichever comes first. When the hospital director says the person has recovered, the court will either order discharge or hold a hearing. The court will order discharge if a preponderance of the evidence shows release is safe. The court can also order a conditional release with required treatment and can change those conditions later after a hearing. If someone on conditional release fails to follow the treatment, the hospital director must tell the Attorney General and the court, the person may be arrested, and the court can return them to a facility after a hearing. If charges were dropped for reasons not related to mental condition and the director certifies the person is dangerous, the Attorney General must send the person to the State for civil commitment or, if the State refuses, release the person no later than ten days after the director’s certification.

Title 18, §4246

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Institution of Proceeding.—

If the director of a facility in which a person is hospitalized certifies that a person in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons whose sentence is about to expire, or who has been committed to the custody of the Attorney General pursuant to section 4241(d), or against whom all criminal charges have been dismissed solely for reasons related to the mental condition of the person, is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect as a result of which his release would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, and that suitable arrangements for State custody and care of the person are not available, he shall transmit the certificate to the clerk of the court for the district in which the person is confined. The clerk shall send a copy of the certificate to the person, and to the attorney for the Government, and, if the person was committed pursuant to section 4241(d), to the clerk of the court that ordered the commitment. The court shall order a hearing to determine whether the person is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect as a result of which his release would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another. A certificate filed under this subsection shall stay the release of the person pending completion of procedures contained in this section.

(b)Psychiatric or Psychological Examination and Report.—

Prior to the date of the hearing, the court may order that a psychiatric or psychological examination of the defendant be conducted, and that a psychiatric or psychological report be filed with the court, pursuant to the provisions of section 4247(b) and (c).

(c)Hearing.—

The hearing shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of section 4247(d).

(d)Determination and Disposition.—

If, after the hearing, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect as a result of which his release would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, the court shall commit the person to the custody of the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall release the person to the appropriate official of the State in which the person is domiciled or was tried if such State will assume responsibility for his custody, care, and treatment. The Attorney General shall make all reasonable efforts to cause such a State to assume such responsibility. If, notwithstanding such efforts, neither such State will assume such responsibility, the Attorney General shall hospitalize the person for treatment in a suitable facility, until—

(1)such a State will assume such responsibility; or

(2)the person’s mental condition is such that his release, or his conditional release under a prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment would not create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another;

whichever is earlier. The Attorney General shall continue periodically to exert all reasonable efforts to cause such a State to assume such responsibility for the person’s custody, care, and treatment.

(e)Discharge.—

When the director of the facility in which a person is hospitalized pursuant to subsection (d) determines that the person has recovered from his mental disease or defect to such an extent that his release would no longer create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, he shall promptly file a certificate to that effect with the clerk of the court that ordered the commitment. The clerk shall send a copy of the certificate to the person’s counsel and to the attorney for the Government. The court shall order the discharge of the person or, on the motion of the attorney for the Government or on its own motion, shall hold a hearing, conducted pursuant to the provisions of section 4247(d), to determine whether he should be released. If, after the hearing, the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person has recovered from his mental disease or defect to such an extent that—

(1)his release would no longer create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, the court shall order that he be immediately discharged; or

(2)his conditional release under a prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment would no longer create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, the court shall—

(A)order that he be conditionally discharged under a prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment that has been prepared for him, that has been certified to the court as appropriate by the director of the facility in which he is committed, and that has been found by the court to be appropriate; and

(B)order, as an explicit condition of release, that he comply with the prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment.

The court at any time may, after a hearing employing the same criteria, modify or eliminate the regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment.

(f)Revocation of Conditional Discharge.—

The director of a medical facility responsible for administering a regimen imposed on a person conditionally discharged under subsection (e) shall notify the Attorney General and the court having jurisdiction over the person of any failure of the person to comply with the regimen. Upon such notice, or upon other probable cause to believe that the person has failed to comply with the prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment, the person may be arrested, and, upon arrest, shall be taken without unnecessary delay before the court having jurisdiction over him. The court shall, after a hearing, determine whether the person should be remanded to a suitable facility on the ground that, in light of his failure to comply with the prescribed regimen of medical, psychiatric, or psychological care or treatment, his continued release would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another.

(g)Release to State of Certain Other Persons.—

If the director of a facility in which a person is hospitalized pursuant to this chapter certifies to the Attorney General that a person, against whom all charges have been dismissed for reasons not related to the mental condition of the person, is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect as a result of which his release would create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to property of another, the Attorney General shall release the person to the appropriate official of the State in which the person is domiciled or was tried for the purpose of institution of State proceedings for civil commitment. If neither such State will assume such responsibility, the Attorney General shall release the person upon receipt of notice from the State that it will not assume such responsibility, but not later than ten days after certification by the director of the facility.

(h)Definition.—

As used in this chapter the term “State” includes the District of Columbia.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–33, § 11204(1)(A), inserted “in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons” after “certifies that a person”. Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 105–33, § 11204(1)(B), added subsec. (h). 1990—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–647 substituted “chapter” for “subchapter”. 1984—Pub. L. 98–473 amended section generally, substituting “Hospitalization of a person due for release but suffering from mental disease or defect” for “Procedure upon finding of mental incompetency” in section catchline, and substituting provisions relating to proceedings, examination and report, hearing, etc., regarding hospitalization of a person due for release but suffering from mental disease or defect, for provisions relating to powers of the trial court with respect to finding of mental incompetency of accused.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–33, title XI, § 11721, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 786, provided that: “Except as otherwise provided in this title [enacting section 138 of former Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, amending this section, section 4247 of this title, section 1063 of Title 20, Education, section 225b of Title 24, Hospitals and Asylums, section 6103 and 7213 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section 715 and 6501 of Title 31, Money and Finance, section 71f and 138 of former Title 40, and section 13723 and 14407 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, enacting provisions set out as a note under section 6103 of Title 26, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 4201 of this title], the provisions of this title shall take effect on the later of October 1, 1997, or the day the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority certifies that the financial plan and budget for the District government for fiscal year 1998 meet the requirements of section 201(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995 [Pub. L. 104–8, 109 Stat. 108], as amended by this title [so certified Sept. 8, 1997].”

§4246 Hospitalization of a Person Due for Release but Suffering From Mental Disease or Defect