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Abstract: 

Several California cases by convicted sex offenders challenging civil commitment rulings have given the state judiciary and legislature opportunities to address unanswered questions in the language of the procedural statute that governs post-prison commitment for continuing psychiatric and psychological treatment. This article comprehensively summarizes the state’s recent efforts to clarify questions over jurisdiction, the use of psychological evaluations in establishing probable cause for commitment, and procedures for incorporating findings of error in the original criminal case that led to conviction.

Keywords: Sexually Violent Predator Commitment; Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 6600; Walker v. California

Affiliations:  1: Editor, Sex Offender Law Report.