How Alberta Psychiatrists View Commitment Criteria and the Problem of Predicting Dangerousness

To help in the changing of Alberta’s Mental Health Act, a questionnaire was circulated among Alberta psychiatrists (80, or 63% responded). It aimed at obtaining views on general matters regarding commitment, such as criteria, the appropriate length of commitment & degree of legal involvement desired on a commitment decision. It also touched on local issues peraining to the delivery of psychiatric services such as the designation of “facilities”, etc. This paper presents the compiled results.