OVER THE PAST DECADE DIFFERENCES HAVE NARROWED BETWEEN CIVIL (I.E. TO MENTAL HOSPITALS) AND PENAL COMMITMENT PROCEDURES. BOTH REQUIRE COMMITMENT FOR A SPECIFIC OFFENSE ONLY, AND THE TREND NOW IS TO COMMIT PERSONS TO MENTAL HOSPITALS ONLY IF THEY HAVE INFLICTED SERIOUS BODILY HARM ON THEMSELVES OR OTHERS. CRITICS CLAIM, HOWEVER, THAT THIS PRACTICE CURTAILS DOCTORS' ABILITY TO HELP MANY OF THE MENTALLY ILL AND FURTHER ARGUE THAT POLICE WILL NOW RESORT TO ARRESTS TO CONTROL THEM; A RECENT PHILADELPHIA POLICE DIRECTIVE SUPPORTS THIS. TO TEST THE AFOREMENTIONED CRITICISM, A STUDY WAS DONE IN THE PHILADELPHIA, PENN., HOSPITAL WITH A PSYCHIATRIC UNIT COMPARING THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATIONS FOR PRISONERS AND ADMISSION RATES FOR 12 MONTHS BEFORE AND AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW STATE LAW RESTRICTING COMMITMENTS TO MENTAL HOSPITALS. EXAMINATIONS WERE ALSO MADE OF THH PSYCHIATRIC UNIT'S POPULATION PRE- AND POST-STUDY. THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION ROSE SUBSTANTIALLY AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW LAW, AND PERSONS ADMITTED TO THE PSYCHIATRIC UNIT TENDED TO BE BETTER EDUCATED AND MORE LIKELY TO BE EMPLOYED. PRISONERS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE PSYCHIATRIC UNIT SOONER AFTER ARREST, INDICATING THAT THIS WAS THEIR REASON FOR ARREST, AND WERE ARRESTED MORE OFTEN FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT OR BIZARRE BEHAVIOR AND LESS FOR VIOLENT CRIME. IN ADDITION, THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HISTORIES OF MENTAL HOSPITAL COMMITMENT. ALMOST ONE-HALF HAD BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE POLICE BY FAMILIES WHO HAD TRIED AND FAILED TO HAVE THEM COMMITTED TO HOSPITALS AND MANY WERE CONSIDERED MENTALLY ILL BY THE ARRESTING OFFICER. ALTHOUGH THE STUDY IS NOT CONCLUSIVE, IT RECOMMENDS THAT STATES PROCEED WITH CAUTION BEFORE PASSING THE RESTRICTIVE LAWS UNDER DISCUSSION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)