Is the practice of involuntary commitment necessary, beneficial and/or ethical? Why or why not?

SHALL WE COMMIT?

An Argumentative Essay About Involuntary Commitment

This assignment asks you to weigh in on the debate about involuntary commitment (or institutionalization) of those who are deemed to be afflicted with psychiatric or psychological disorders and who may be a danger to themselves or others. Rachel Aviv’s article, titled “God Knows Where I Am,” profiles the story of one family’s journey to secure treatment for their loved one with bipolar and schizoaffective disorder. Additional texts in the unit offer arguments on all sides of the topic, and provide important pieces of evidence and key concepts for your consideration.

PURPOSE

The cornerstone assignment of a transfer-level composition class is the argumentative essay. The skills you learn in the lessons for this assignment, like the 3D Thesis Statement and the SEAS Body Paragraph format, can apply to nearly any academic essay, in any subject, at any institution. They’re good tools! Additionally, this assignment facilitates skills like offering contextual information, developing logical argument, connecting ideas, synthesizing texts, etc. Those are necessary skills in most workplaces, and in life! Finally, the topic of involuntary commitment intersects both themes of the course: agency (our ability to control the circumstances of our lives) and rights! So I hope it’s an interesting, engaging, useful assignment for you.

PROMPT

Is the practice of involuntary commitment necessary, beneficial and/or ethical? Why or why not?