> I disagree with your contention that institutionalizing people for the purpose of providing care (not locking them up) Speaking about England: most of the pe

> I disagree with your contention that institutionalizing people for the purpose of providing care (not locking them up) Speaking about England: most of the people I talk to who've been detained under section of the mental health act (involuntarily committed to hospital) talk about it as being locked up, even if they're on an unlocked ward. There are strict legal protections in place to prevent abuse of powers, although these aren't always being followed. There has recently been a review of the English law to see if too many people are being detained. You should view this as more severe than a prison sentence, because that mindset allows you to put in place the protections of freedoms needed to guard against abuse.