Description

There is significant noncompliance by State psychiatric centers with a requirement of the Mental Hygiene Law that acts of patient abuse or mistreatment, which may constitute crimes, be reported to appropriate law enforcement agencies, according to this Commission report. The Commission undertook a study of the problems associated with reporting possible crimes in psychiatric centers to law enforcement agencies at the request of the Governor's office following a controversy over the lack of timely reporting of an act of sodomy between two male patients at a psychiatric center.