Why Are Community Treatment Orders Controversial?

The use of community treatment orders and other forms of mandatory outpatient treatment has been controversial. The debate on the appropriateness of compulsory treatment in the community addresses a volatile mix of clinical, social policy, legal, and philosophical issues. This paper describes the major sources of contention, outlines the position of the protagonists, and where possible, attempts to answer some of the questions raised and identify common ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]