Compulsory treatment of patients with psychopathic disorder: an abnormally aggressive or seriously irresponsible exercise?

While in England and Wales it remains legal to detain patients in hospital against their wishes on grounds of ‘psychopathic disorder’, the clinical arguments for doing so are fragile. It is suggested that the special hospitals are alone in their continued willingness to engage in this practice, and that in so doing the staff are morally suspect and irresponsible. Options are advanced, nevertheless, for more stringent approaches to clinical practice in the event of further admissions, together with a call for more research.