Law & psychiatry: the evolution of laws regulating psychiatric commitment in France.

This column reviews the evolution of French laws governing psychiatric commitment, culminating in the July 2011 Act, which was opposed by most professional organizations. The 2011 Act has maintained the two traditional French approaches to involuntary treatment: at the request of a third person and upon a decision by a prefect representing the government. However, the 2011 Act introduced major innovations into French practices: systematic review by a judge, a 72-hour observation period, and the possibility of compulsory community treatment.