[Continuous increase in community treatment orders and compulsory admissions in the Netherlands, 2003-2017].

Objective: To give a descriptive analysis of court decisions on involuntary admissions and community treatment orders in the Netherlands, and to discuss policy recommendations to contain the use of involuntary care.

Design: Retrospective, descriptive research.

Method: For this study, data were obtained from the Council for the Judiciary concerning requests for court-ordered admissions to mental hospitals and community treatment orders in the Netherlands.