Section 135-E:1 Findings and Intent. - New Hampshire Statutes

The general court finds that a small but extremely dangerous number of sexually violent predators exist who do not have a mental disease or defect that renders them appropriate for involuntary treatment under RSA 135-C, which is intended to provide short-term treatment to individuals with serious mental disorders and then return them to the community. In contrast to persons appropriate for civil commitment, sexually violent predators generally have antisocial personality features which are unamenable to existing mental illness treatment modalities, and those features render them likely to engage in criminal, sexually violent behavior. The general court further finds that the likelihood of sexually violent predators engaging in repeat acts of predatory sexual violence is high. The existing involuntary commitment procedures for the treatment and care of mentally ill persons are inadequate to address the risk these sexually violent predators pose to society. The general court further finds that the prognosis for rehabilitating sexually violent predators in a prison setting is poor, the treatment needs of this population are very long term, and the treatment modalities for this population are very different from the traditional treatment modalities for people appropriate for commitment under existing law. It is therefore the intent of the general court to create a civil commitment procedure for the long-term care and treatment of sexually violent predators.

Source. 2006, 327:21, eff. Jan. 1, 2007.