Many states authorize involuntary psychiatric care on the basis of grave disability, a legal standard often defined as a person's inability to provide for basic needs because of mental illness. Mental illness is prevalent in U.S. jails and prisons, and although correctional facilities must generally provide incarcerated people with basic necessities (e.g., food, clothing, and shelter), incarcerated people may still meet criteria for grave disability. This Open Forum examines the assessment and treatment implications of grave disability in correctional contexts and ways to support the well-being of incarcerated people who may meet criteria for grave disability.
Keywords: Criminal law; Forensic psychiatry; Involuntary commitment; Jails and prisons; Mental health services; Service delivery systems.