§4246 — Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure | U.S. Code

Summary

A hospital director can stop a federal prisoner’s release if the director certifies that the person—who is about to finish a sentence, was sent to the Attorney General for a mental evaluation under 4241(d), or had all charges dropped only because of mental illness—is currently mentally ill and would likely cause serious physical harm to someone else or serious damage to another’s property if freed. The director sends a certificate to the court clerk. The clerk tells the person and the government’s lawyer (and the committing court when applicable). The court holds a hearing (the judge can order a psychiatric exam first). If the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person is dangerous because of a mental illness, the court commits the person to the Attorney General. The Attorney General must try to transfer custody to the person’s State of residence or trial. If the State will not take the person, the Attorney General must hospitalize them until the State agrees or until the person no longer poses a substantial risk or can be safely released under a treatment plan. If the director later says the person has improved, the court will hold a hearing and may order immediate discharge or a conditional release under a treatment regimen; failure to follow the regimen can lead to arrest and a return to the hospital after a hearing. If charges were dismissed for reasons not related to mental condition, the Attorney General must turn the person over to the State for civil commitment, and if the State refuses the person must be released no later than ten days after the director’s certification. State: includes the District of Columbia.

Title 18, §4246

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

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

(d)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;

(e)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.

(f)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)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)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