The Psychiatric clinics of North America
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Psychiatr. Clin. North Am. · Mar 1999
Review Case ReportsThe right to refuse psychiatric treatment.
The right to refuse psychiatric treatment has become an important clinical and legal issue in the last twenty-five years. This article briefly reviews the clinical, administrative, and legal aspects of the right to refuse psychiatric treatment, especially medication. Emphasis is placed on the clinical issues including the reasons for treatment refusals, and the management of treatment refusal. Empirical data are provided to illustrate the rights driven and treatment driven models of involuntary psychotropic medication administration.
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No one missing piece can solve the puzzle of juvenile violence. Although numerous risk factors have been identified, the implementation of successful preventive and treatment programs remains the greatest challenge. ⋯ The consequence of failing to do so is summarized by King's prophetic statement, "The choice today is no longer between violence and nonviolence. It's either nonviolence or nonexistence."