Sexually violent predators.

Existing law provides for the civil commitment of criminal offenders who have been determined to be sexually violent predators for treatment in a secure state hospital facility. Under existing law, persons to be evaluated for civil commitment are evaluated by 2 practicing psychiatrists or psychologists designated by the Director of State Hospitals. If both evaluators concur that the person is likely to engage in acts of sexual violence without appropriate treatment and custody, the director is required to forward a request for a petition for commitment to the district attorney or county counsel, who may then file the petition with the court. Under existing law, if the attorney petitioning for commitment determines that updated evaluations are necessary in order to properly present the case for commitment, the attorney may request the department to perform updated evaluations, which include the review of available medical and psychological records, including treatment records, consultation with current treating clinicians, and interviews of the person being evaluated. Existing law requires that the department forward the updated evaluations to the petitioning attorney and to the counsel for the person who is the subject of the commitment hearing. This bill would require the evaluator performing an updated evaluation to include a statement listing the medical and psychological records reviewed by the evaluator, and would direct the court to issue a subpoena, upon the request of either party to the civil commitment proceeding, for a certified copy of these records. The bill would authorize the attorneys to use the records in the commitment proceeding, but would prohibit disclosure of the records for any other purpose.