Ladds B
Manhattan Psychiatric Center, USA.
J Forensic Sci. 1995 Mar;40(2):183-7.
As a result of the recent United States Supreme Court case of Riggins v. Nevada, lower courts are likely to review if, and under what conditions, pretrial criminal defendants may be treated involuntarily with antipsychotic medication. It may also be time to re-consider the similar use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), if indeed it is still being used in this context. This is the first known recent study to determine the frequency of ECT among incompetent defendants. Records from the two forensic psychiatric facilities in New York State that receive over 95% of all indicted felony offenders who are incompetent to stand trial were retrospectively reviewed for a five year study period. All requests to the court for authorization for involuntary treatment with ECT were sought. In the study period, out of approximately 1365 total persons committed, there was one case of a request to the court to administer involuntary ECT to an incompetent defendant. This request was granted after a Rivers hearing. This single case, in which involuntary ECT was not effective, is described. This study serves to demonstrate that involuntary ECT is still requested and administered in New York State to incompetent defendants. In light of the concerns raised in Riggins about involuntary medication, it seems reasonable and necessary to re-consider whether and under what conditions ECT should be involuntarily administered to a pre-trial defendant. Several recommendations are suggested.
由于美国最高法院近期审理的里金斯诉内华达州案，下级法院可能会审查审前刑事被告在何种情况下以及是否可能被非自愿使用抗精神病药物治疗。如果电休克疗法（ECT）确实仍在这种情况下使用，那么也可能是重新考虑其类似用途的时候了。这是近期已知的第一项确定无行为能力被告中ECT使用频率的研究。对纽约州两家法医精神病学机构的记录进行了回顾性审查，为期五年，这两家机构接收了超过95%的所有被指控犯有重罪但无行为能力接受审判的罪犯。查找了所有向法院请求授权非自愿使用ECT治疗的申请。在研究期间，在总共约1365名被收押人员中，有一例向法院请求对一名无行为能力被告进行非自愿ECT治疗。在进行了里弗斯听证会后，这一请求获得批准。描述了这一非自愿ECT治疗无效的唯一案例。这项研究表明，在纽约州，仍有无行为能力被告被请求并接受非自愿ECT治疗。鉴于里金斯案中提出的关于非自愿用药的担忧，重新考虑是否以及在何种情况下应向审前被告非自愿实施ECT似乎是合理且必要的。文中提出了若干建议。
