Mar. 9, 2026
MDO commitments and AB 1897: a practitioner's view
AB 1897 would rewrite California's Mentally Disordered Offender law by lowering the standard for civil commitment from "substantial danger" to a mere "threat," making it easier to extend confinement long after prison sentences end.
California has long had statutory mandates allowing for the civil commitment of any person serving time in prison who meets certain criteria relating to severe mental health conditions and is deemed to present a substantial danger of physical harm to others. The current statutory scheme, codified at California Penal Code sections 2960 to 2981, has been in place for almost exactly 40 years. These rules...
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